’18 Alum and Deloitte consultant, Faheem Tapia, credits much of his success to Chicago Field Studies

Faheem Tapia

“Reaching Your Dream” series tells stories of Northwestern alums who found their dream careers thanks to Chicago Field Studies (CFS), an academic internship program that matches over 500 students every year with over 250 employer partners. CFS participants receive guidance on choosing internships based on their passions and values, navigating applying and interviewing, and succeeding in the professional world. While interning, students process their experiences in weekly CFS seminars, where they reflect on the place of work in their lives and the role of their industry in society.

By Nina Wieda

Faheem Tapia works as a Strategy and Analytics Consultant at Deloitte in New York after graduating from Northwestern in 2018 with a BA in Economics. He loves his stimulating job and credits much of his success to Chicago Field Studies. As an international student, he found it invaluable to learn about American business culture from hands-on experience, which is why he participated in CFS not once, but twice.

Faheem TapiaOn the busy streets of New York, Faheem feels right at home. If anything, the Big Apple seems more relaxed than his home city of Mumbai, a bustling metropolis of eighteen million. Faheem grew up in a close-knit family, ten people in a three-bedroom apartment in the heart of the city, grandparents and cousins under the same roof. He spent his childhood playing cricket, riding horses, going to races with his grandparents, and taking in the colorful architecture of his vibrant city.

Faheem always wanted to go to college in the United States. Looking for a school with excellent academics and access to a major city, he saw pictures of Northwestern campus and fell in love. “The only thing I didn’t know was how cold it gets,” – Faheem laughs. In Mumbai, it’s t-shirt weather all year around. You can play sports outside anytime except for the monsoon season. “It’s probably better that I hadn’t known how cold it gets until I got here. In the end, it was the best decision of my life.”
At Northwestern, Faheem embraced his new life with enthusiasm. He discovered football and went to all the games he could. He loved the social aspect of the campus, “You never feel alone,” – recalls Faheem. – “Even when you study alone at the library, there are so many people around you, and you feel connected to them.” Faheem embraced social life and academic opportunities alike. “Nothing beats an American degree, not just because of the curriculum, but because of the entire experience.”

Chicago Field Studies offered Faheem an opportunity to expand his American experience beyond campus, as well. As a junior, he interned with Morgan Stanley, where he learned a lot about American business culture and realized that he would enjoy working for a corporation. “I am a big fan of CFS,” says Faheem. – “The program has the perfect balance: learning something through reading, through discussions in class, but then also doing it yourself, seeing whether it stands the test of the real world, forming your own opinion.”

Faheem TapiaFaheem secured his full-time job with Deloitte in the fall of his senior year. With his academic requirements largely met, Faheem had the freedom to choose what to do during his final Northwestern quarter. He decided to do another quarter of CFS and chose to intern at the Garage – Northwestern’s start-up central. “I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur. Interning at the Garage was a dream come true. I was paid to be curious. It’s something that I’m going to take with me for the rest of my life.”

As start-up ideas for the future brew in his mind, Faheem thrives in Deloitte’s fast-paced environment. “I love working with smart and curious people; I learn something new every day.” He’s worked on projects involving artificial intelligence, a famous beer company, but his favorite project focused on helping Deloitte become the most socially responsible company, “to really be a force for good.”
Current NU students may know Faheem in another role: the project lead for “Deloitte Delivers,” a nonprofit consulting program that guides Northwestern students through a quarter-long project helping a Chicago-based nonprofit. As a junior, Faheem participated in the first class of Deloitte Delivers. Since joining Deloitte, he has been bringing the program back to his alma mater. Last year, Faheem was in charge of leading the biggest and most competitive class of the program. “We love to do it because we’re able to make a positive impact in our community,” says Faheem.

In the midst of his high-energy career, Faheem still finds the time to come back to Chicago Field Studies to support his younger peers. He volunteers as a practice interviewer, gives guest lectures in Business Field Studies – the same class that he took four years ago, and offers his mentorship to current CFS students looking to make their professional dreams come true.

I’m sure that many exciting projects are in store for Faheem. I hope that one of them brings him to Louiseville so that he could attend the Kentucky Derby – one of his American dreams that hasn’t come true yet.