As a young child in India, Mandip Singh watched his father head off to America hoping to set up a new life for his loved ones. By the time he turned seven, the family was able to reunite in Melrose, MA, where they have worked extremely hard ever since running a restaurant and living out the American Dream.

“My parents broke their backs so that I could have the opportunity to go to college,” Singh says. “I’ve put pressure on myself to achieve as soon as possible in order to help the ones who have helped me.”

The junior Accounting major knew early on that one of the best ways to set himself up for a job right out of college was to land a relevant internship, so he quickly sought out the University’s Office of Career Services and Employer Relations. That led to Singh’s first internship in the Framingham State University Business Office.

“I am constantly in the Career Services Office seeking advice from Internship Coordinator Jill Gardosik and Director Dawn Ross. They helped me get two internships and got me involved in the Suitable Solutions Program, which teaches you about professional skills, provides you with $100 for attire and can help you land internships and jobs at companies like TJX.”

As a sophomore, Singh landed another high-impact internship at the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) firm Paresky Flitt & Co. While there, he gained valuable contacts and took a big step toward his ultimate goal of working for one of the “Big 4” accounting firms (KPMG, Ernst & Young, Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers). By the time he graduates from Framingham State, he will have completed at least three internships.

“When I started college, I was really concerned about having a job right after graduation, but now I feel very confident that I have the skills and connections to line something up right away,” Singh says.

He is also passionate about giving back, and says he would love to start a nonproft organization one day that provides psychological treatment to people in his native India, where mental health conditions are often ignored.