A senior brand planner and strategist at OgilvyOne Worldwide in India, Swati Shivshankar '13 was recently named to IMPACT's Top 30 Under 30 India. The award is similar to the Forbes 30 under 30 in the United States.  

"It means everything especially because you are under 30, and you are at the bottom of the rung,” said Shivshankar from Mumbai, India. She has been at her position for three years and works on major accounts such as Dove and others. 

"When you get recognized by the industry, it really is a great acknowledgement of all the hard work you've put in," she added. "But it is also a reminder that it's only just the beginning, and I have to outdo myself in the future. I was absolutely delighted and honored. It was a very special feeling and an excellent start to 2017." 

The was the fourth edition of IMPACT's Top 30 Under 30, which recognizes the 30 most talented individuals under the age of 30 in Indian creative, media and digital agencies.  

Shivshankar, who majored in communication and economics at Wittenberg, was nominated by her boss for the award. She said she was humbled to see the support from members of her organization as many of her co-workers attended the awards ceremony. 

"A few weeks after I was nominated, I received the news that I had been selected," she said. "After I received that news, my boss also told me know that he was nominating me for another award, 'India's Top Digital Planners,' by Business World. A few weeks later, I again received an email saying that I was one of the winners. It was so unbelievable, and I couldn't stop smiling. I really have to thank my boss for all of it. He recognized the opportunities and took the initiative to push me forward." 

Shivshankar, who came to Wittenberg on a scholarship, traveled halfway across the world to attend the university without ever stepping foot on campus. 

"I had no family in America, no friends and to come all the way from India without visiting the campus was a huge gamble for me," she said. "But from the moment I stepped foot on campus, I was welcomed and taken care of by my admission counselor, the international office and my OAs. The admission staff was so kind and helpful. JoAnn Bennett was incredibly helpful in making me feel at ease and helping me arrange everything. It seems like a small thing, but it made a world of a difference to a foreign kid who was clueless."

Looking back, Shivshankar cannot imagine a better choice.

"It's a bit hard for me to express what Wittenberg has done for me. Of course, it gave me an incredible education and taught me how to be a leader, but it taught me something bigger. I have never seen so many people go out of their way to make sure I was okay. 

"Wittenberg also taught me to be kind to people," she added. "It taught me to help people without expecting anything in return. And I think [that] is more valuable than anything else that Wittenberg taught me, as it is so important in today's world where no one has the time, and it is so cutthroat. A little kindness and a smile go a long way."