Short Biography
Bachelor’s Degree: Sabancı University, Economics (2024)
Double Major: Computer Science and Engineering
During Undergraduate Studies: Università degli Studi di Brescia (Erasmus)
Previous Position: Transaction Diligence Associate, EY Türkiye
Current Position: VMA Associate, PwC Türkiye
Location: Istanbul
What does your current role involve, and what does a typical day look like?
I am currently working in the Valuation department at PwC. In this role, we provide valuation services to companies that are either involved in mergers and acquisitions or require valuation services for other purposes. These services may include determining purchase prices in acquisitions, asset valuations, brand valuations, and purchase price allocation, among others.
How did your economics education at Sabancı University contribute to your transition into professional life?
Economics is one of the most common academic backgrounds among professionals working in my field. However, having studied this discipline at Sabancı University—one of Türkiye’s leading universities—has been highly impactful in terms of being noticed by companies as a new graduate entering the workforce.
Did you enter this field directly after graduation, or how did your career journey take shape?
I actually decided to pursue a career in finance during my senior year. After deciding not to follow a professional path in computer engineering, I shifted my focus toward finance. In my final semester, I started an internship at EY, which marked the first step of this career transition. Building on my major in Economics and my minor in Finance at Sabancı University, along with what I learned at EY, I began to develop myself in this field. Later on, I decided to move into valuation, which led me to join PwC’s VMA team.
What was your favorite course in the SU Economics program, and why?
Although I value every economics course I took, ECON201 – Games and Strategies holds a special place for me. As a student who had only recently decided to study economics, this course reassured me that I had made the right choice. Beyond forming the foundation for many upper-level economics courses, it also introduced ways of thinking that offer a different perspective on situations we encounter in all areas of life. For this reason, it is a course I also recommend to friends whose major is not economics.
What advice would you give to current undergraduate students?
They are studying at a university that offers excellent access to faculty members who can provide guidance in planning their futures. I would strongly encourage them to make use of this opportunity by communicating with and seeking advice from professors who can support them in shaping both their academic and professional paths. In addition, participating in the active career and hobby clubs at Sabancı University can greatly enrich their university experience. These clubs contribute significantly to both social life and career development. For example, an event organized by the Economics and Business Club played a key role in helping me secure my first job.
What would you say to a student who is considering studying economics but feels undecided?
I was undecided about what I wanted to study starting from high school and even after the university entrance exam. The first major I declared was computer engineering. While considering different departments for a double major, I took an introductory microeconomics course in my second year. That course was my first real exposure to economics and ultimately led me to choose the discipline. If students in the early years of their undergraduate studies find themselves similarly undecided, I would recommend that they take introductory courses in the fields they are considering starting from the second semester of their first year, and speak with professors and upper-year students to help guide their decision.