Chandana Sooranahalli graduated from Weinberg College in 2020, studying Economics with a minor in cognitive science. Sooranhalli now serves as a Management Consultant with the Qral Group in Chicago, Illinois.
Why did you decide to come to Northwestern?
I decided to attend Northwestern because as someone who loves learning, I knew that it would enable me to tap into my curiosity and potential.
What inspired you to pursue your area of study?
I was inspired to study economics after taking a microeconomics course in high school that taught me the fundamentals of analyzing strategies and the logic behind decision-making. I was intrigued and wanted to understand more.
Is there a class or experience that sticks out in your mind and why?
A class that stands out in my mind is an English elective I took called “Sci-Fi and Social Justice.” We read and discussed works from an assortment of imagined worlds, often written by authors from underrepresented backgrounds in literature, and wrote norm-defying creative pieces. On the last day, we brainstormed a list of social justice issues we were passionate about and steps we could personally take to make a difference. This is what I believe sets Northwestern apart as an institution; we were challenged to go beyond just learning information and ask ourselves what we would do with this knowledge once we left the classroom.
How would you describe your research and/or work to a non-academic audience?
As a healthcare management consultant, I help optimize the delivery of therapies to patients who suffer from rare and ultra-rare diseases using data and analysis.
What’s a fun fact that you want to share with the Northwestern community?
Attending Northwestern made me fall in love with coffee shops! There are so many amazing ones on and near campus.