Eshan Varma ’19, a proud graduate of the University of St. Thomas and member of the Alumni Engagement Board, embodies resilience and a commitment to supporting the next generation. Born and raised in Eagan, Minnesota, Varma’s journey is a testament to his adaptability, ambition, and dedication to the values of community and education.
Initially attending the University of North Dakota to compete in Division I tennis, Varma soon realized he craved a stronger connection to city life and academics. After careful research, he transferred to St. Thomas, drawn by its robust community and the opportunity to balance rigorous academics and athletics. Thomas could fulfill my academic and athletic needs,” he explained.
As a senior, Varma joined the Mayo Innovation Scholar Program, engaging in research and leadership roles. He also immersed himself in campus life, forming strong relationships and overcoming early feelings of isolation with the help of mentors like Linda Hartung, his transfer adviser. Eshan had additional mentors, including Dr. Heidi Giebel and Dr. Gloria Frost, both philosophy professors; Dr. Rick Kunkel, business law professor; and Dr. Alexander Martin, who provided support for Eshan’s graduate school journey. “As you can see, there was a whole network of excellent individuals who really helped me grow at St. Thomas,” Eshan said.
Varma’s dedication extended to an internship at Thomson Reuters, where he explored product management and development. Networking played a pivotal role in his success, and the internship’s unstructured nature taught him the importance of self-direction and resilience. While balancing academics senior year, at work Eshan focused on product management and analysis, segmenting analysis for user data, competitive intelligence, writing user stories and getting engaged in the early intersections of business and technology.
After graduating with a general business management degree in 2019, Varma continued with Thomson Reuters as a data analyst. In this role, he self-taught advanced methodologies, demonstrating the impact of learning programs on business outcomes and quickly earning a promotion to senior associate. Inspired by his experiences and the philosophy of St. Thomas’ mission, “all for the common good,” he received a Consortium Graduate Study of Management Fellowship to pursue an MBA at the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. In the summer of 2025, Eshan will be a senior strategy consultant at Accenture Strategy in New York City.
Varma's philosophy, “I am because we are,” drives his passion for the St. Thomas community and mentorship. As an alum, he has been part of the Opus College of Business Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group, advised the student BIPOC group, was a volunteer coach for Club Tennis, and serves on the Alumni Engagement Board. “At the end of the day, this is how we forward the common good,” he says.
Varma encourages current Tommies to embrace their St. Thomas experience fully, advising, “Value being connected here. Challenges will arise, but they’re part of your life’s collective whole. Our lives are more beautiful because of our experiences.”
Always eager to give back, Varma invites students to reach out to him on LinkedIn, continuing his legacy of resilience and connection.
