Reza Mohammed
Pasadena,California
Summary
Rising freshman at Columbia University with interests in finance, entrepreneurship, and community service.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Founder
Squash Stars
09.2019 - Current
- Squash Stars, nonprofit initiative registered under 501(c)(3) providing squash scholarships.
- Offered to 300+ children, $10K+ fundraised in SoCal area, provided squash equipment, coaching, and mentorships for students from low-income LA neighborhoods
- Developed strong partnerships with other nonprofits, businesses, and Los Angeles Depts. of Parks and Recreation to allow for collaboration and more significant opportunities for growth
- Established a successful operation by identifying target locations and developing innovative solutions
- Led the strategic planning process to define long/short-term goals and ensure alignment across all parties
Founder & Co-Host
The Chit Chaat Podcast
01.2024 - Current
- Hosted and produced episodes interviewing South Asian industry leaders
- Guests include 100M+ Business Owners, Mayors/Politicians, Emmy-winning Hollywood executives/producers
- 2500+ engagements/month on Apple Podcasts/Spotify
- Created notable social media presence, ~2000 followers across platforms in 6 months
Growth, Marketing, and Accounting Intern
Western Justice Center
06.2023 - 02.2024
- Gained hands-on experience with various software programs such as Excel, enhancing overall efficiency in daily tasks.
- Assisted with events closing and reporting duties
- Demonstrated strong attention to detail when reviewing financial statements for errors or inconsistencies before submission to management clients.
- Assisted in the planning and execution of successful community events
- Participated in brainstorming sessions, contributing fresh ideas that led to innovative marketing initiatives
- Supported lead generation efforts by assisting in the planning and execution of workshops, outreach, and other events.
Academic Researcher
University of Pennsylvania
05.2024 - 01.2025
- Interviewed South Asians aged 90+ directly influenced by Partition, a cataclysmic historical event that resulted in mass economic, demographic, and political shifts regionally
- Conducted investigations into the macro and micro economic consequences of Partition
- Published oral testimonial archive, provided to undergrad/graduate departments of numerous universities
Academic Researcher
Occidental College
05.2023 - 08.2023
- Middle Eastern Research conducted with Prof. Moazzam-Doulat, Dept. Co-Chair of Critical Theory & Social Justice.
- Comparatively researched legislation regarding perceived security threats in the United States and Western Europe, principally concerning Muslim and Middle Eastern migrants.
- Compiled data, information, trends, and statistics for social and political philosophy curriculum.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Economics/Business Management & Psychology
Columbia University (Incoming Freshman)
New York, NY01-2029
Polytechnic School
Pasadena, CA06-2025
Skills
- Team leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Marketing
- Entrepreneurial and innovative
- Communication
- Grit
- Resilience
Accomplishments
- Partition research recognized/featured by USC Pacific Asia Museum, Pakistani Arts Council; set to feature on a panel with prominent South Asian community leaders
- Non-profit Squash Stars featured in US Squash news page, received commendation from US Squash president
- U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete Award, given to excelling students on the squash court
- #36 national & #1 SoCal rankings in squash; won 15+ local, regional, national tournaments; invited to play Pro LA Open as “wild card” entrant, 1 player chosen
Certification
Financial Markets - Yale University, Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies - Harvard University
Languages
Spanish
Full Professional
Punjabi
Native or Bilingual
Urdu
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Academic Researcher
University of Pennsylvania
05.2024 - 01.2025
Founder & Co-Host
The Chit Chaat Podcast
01.2024 - Current
Growth, Marketing, and Accounting Intern
Western Justice Center
06.2023 - 02.2024
Academic Researcher
Occidental College
05.2023 - 08.2023
Founder
Squash Stars
09.2019 - Current
Bachelor of Arts - Economics/Business Management & Psychology
Columbia University (Incoming Freshman)
Polytechnic School