Financial Economics Degree Propels Professional Journey

Published April 3, 2026 | Request Information

Sarthak “Scott” Vij maps his life the same way he builds an economic model: start with the fundamentals and let the logic lead the way.

Raised in Pune, India, near Mumbai, Vij grew up as an only child in a home grounded in logic and learning. The influences of his father, an engineer, his mother, a math teacher, and his grandmother, a Hindi literature teacher, shaped how he sees the world – and eventually led him to the MS in Financial Economics program at Johns Hopkins.

“Economics is about data and math, but it’s also about telling stories. I combined everything I inherited from my parents and grandmother into my professional pursuits. They always saw my potential,” said Vij who today works as a senior business analyst in commercial lending at Capital One. There, he translates complex datasets into strategies that help businesses make smart decisions – work that aligns with his instincts and interests.

Reaching this level of success meant crossing continents, taking risks, and learning from missteps, a push prompted by an eighth-grade humanities teacher who first encouraged him to think of himself as a global citizen. When it came time for college, he looked outside of India at educational options in the United Kingdom, Italy, and the U.S, ultimately drawn to America’s mix of independence and community. As an undergraduate economics and math major at Penn State University, he discovered not only a challenging curriculum but a place to take chances.
“Penn State gave me the room to make mistakes,” Vij said. “It was like a cocoon where I could fall down and get back up.”

After graduation, he moved to Chicago for a healthcare supply chain consulting role. The work sharpened his problem-solving skills but also highlighted the deeper technical skills and specialized training he still needed. Graduate school, specifically a program blending economics and finance, became the next logical step.

Instead of applying widely, Vij made a focused bet on Johns Hopkins.

“I submitted my application on day one. On day seven, I had my acceptance. I knew Hopkins was the right fit.”
Washington, D.C.’s proximity to finance and policy institutions was a draw, but it was the faculty’s real-world experience that sealed the decision. Mentors like Ou Hu, Luis Mejia, Prakash Loungani, and Brandon Restrepo offered both technical guidance and candid advice.

“They weren’t just teaching concepts,” he said. “They shared what actually happens in the industry, and they were honest about what we needed to improve. They treated us like partners and without intimidation. That made a huge difference. I am so grateful for the direction they gave me.”

One class in particular – Advanced Econometrics with Brandon Restrepo – changed how he approached analysis. Conversations after class helped him refine a research paper that strengthened his job prospects.

“That course taught me how to really see the story inside the data,” he said.

At Hopkins, Vij treated school like a full-time job. He attended office hours regularly, served as a teaching assistant, and immersed himself in a cohort of classmates from around the world. “The diversity of perspectives was incredible. It reshaped how I think.”

The focus paid off. While finishing final exams in May 2025, he was already completing the interview process with Capital One. The day exams ended, he received his final offer. Within weeks, he moved, celebrated with his parents, and started work on June 1.

“I landed exactly where I wanted to be,” he said. “Financial economics, banking, analytics—it all came together.”
If Penn State felt like a cocoon, Hopkins was a launchpad.

“It was the mother bird pushing you out of the nest, and telling you to ‘Fly!’,” Vij laughed. “Johns Hopkins gives you back what you put in. Not by handing you a job, but by giving you skills and confidence to earn one. The experience makes you a better, more-informed individual who is part of a system that appreciates talent, ingenuity, and curiosity. If you take the pressure as growth and lean into it, it will take you a long way.”

Now living in Virginia with his Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Millie, Vij hopes to continue building his life in the United States while staying deeply connected to India.

“India will always be home,” he said, “but America gave me opportunity, support, and community. I’m grateful for both. And Hopkins, without a doubt, has transformed my life. I will always carry the values that this country and this university has given me in my heart.”