Aaj Solanki, Accounting

When he was evaluating his college options, part of the reason Aaj Solanki chose USF was the opportunity to be a part of the inaugural cohort for the Business Honors Program.  He was excited about the opportunities that this invitation-only program would provide.  Now that he has been here for a year, he has been able to examine case studies and exercise critical inquiry.  He has also been introduced to data mining and other tools that will help him prepare a thesis on airline network structures, which will contribute to future research on what makes an optimal network sustainable.

Though only a sophomore, Solanki is also involved with Beta Alpha Psi, an honors organization for accounting students, and was offered to serve as an intern with CBIZ Kirkland, Russ, Murphy, and Tapp but accepted an internship position at Marubeni Specialty Chemical and HighStreet Financial instead.

A resident of the Bulls Business Community, Solanki has volunteered for several service projects, including the Hillsborough River Clean-up and projects benefiting the Museum of Science and Industry, Ronald McDonald House, and Habitat for Humanity.

Solanki says that he is fortunate to have been raised in America because, among other things, it has provided him with opportunities to participate in organized sports.  After visiting India, and then later noticing that the nation lacked a presence in international sporting events, Solanki founded the non-profit Play India.  He created the non-profit to send used soccer equipment to small villages and slums of India, where his father was raised.  The group’s first shipment of soccer balls and cleats was sent to Mumbai in March.