Elizaveta Babkova, IEM Graduate of 2020: "The Most Valuable Thing Was Our Group. We Were Truly United and Still Stay in Touch"
I originally wanted to go into economics — my parents are in that field, so I followed them. TSU was the top university in the city for me; plus, among my classmates, it was considered prestigious to be admitted to the state university. When I found out I was accepted, I was very happy.
The Faculty of Economics was just transforming into the Institute of Economics and Management at that time, and that attracted my attention even more. There was an interesting track — a joint program with Sberbank.
— Did you consider universities in other cities?
— No, I did not consider another city. I like Tomsk, my family and friends are here; I didn't want to leave anywhere.
— Looking at your profile, I see that you also graduated from TUSUR?
— I completed my master's degree at TUSUR in "Management." I chose that university because they offered a part-time format — I was already working and could not study full-time.
— What are your brightest memories of your student years?
— All of student life was very vibrant, fun, and interesting.
As for academics, I vividly remember the lectures of Viktor Anatolyevich Udod — mathematical analysis, probability theory. It was incredibly cool and engaging. I never wanted to miss those classes. He taught in such a way that everyone attended — absences were minimal and only for valid reasons.
Student life was bustling: group days, "Mr. and Ms. IEM," all of it was bright. But the most valuable thing was our group. We were truly united. Every year, we would definitely go out into nature and relax together as a whole group.
— Tell us about your career path since graduation. What were your first successes and challenges?
It happened that I was invited to the Pension Fund even before graduating from university. A position opened up, and I was immediately offered the role of leading specialist. It was interesting; I thought, "Wow." And I ended up working there for six years.
— So you've had only one job?
— I was soon promoted to chief specialist. Then, when our fund merged with the Social Insurance Fund and became the Pension and Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation, a consultant position appeared — which is an intermediate role between chief specialist and deputy head of department.
When the Social Fund was being formed, it was a real challenge. I had to learn new software. Fortunately, I quickly figured it out, and that's why I was promoted to consultant.
I became a treasurer in the fund, handling cooperation with banks regarding maternity capital payments, as well as performing tasks related to social benefits.
— What knowledge and skills acquired at IEM help you in your work today?
—Communication skills have been the most useful. At university, you gain experience that you can't get anywhere else — you have to negotiate with everyone. As a group leader, I had to be the link between the students, the dean's office, and the faculty. You have to manage to negotiate with everyone, provide guidance, and keep things moving smoothly.
As for academic subjects, of course, some things came in handy, while others I had to relearn.
— What is your main advice for current IEM students?
— Be friends with everyone. When you are friends with everyone, many opportunities arise in the future.
It so happens that my classmates and I still meet up. And I fully understand that the knowledge they are gaining now in their professions is very valuable. Now we share that knowledge with each other — it's a very interesting experience.
And another piece of advice: constantly monitor the labor market, see what vacancies are out there, what specialists are in demand. Then you quickly begin to understand how to adapt your knowledge for your future profession today. And you realize which area to focus more on, what topic to write your term paper on, and what topic to write your thesis on. Knowledge is absorbed much better when you see the end goal. And it becomes clearer in which direction to develop.
— Would you like to add anything else?
— It seems to me that TSU is not only a place for study but also a place for coming together. The trade union works very harmoniously. The people who come to TSU are all friendly, sociable, and intelligent. Throughout all four years of my studies, I never once encountered any aggression or malice — everything was very friendly, comfortable, and wonderful. All the people understood wh ere they were, what they were doing, and why they came here.
Interview by: Olga Byzova, TSU Faculty of Journalism
- All interviews with graduates of the Institute of Economics and Management in the anniversary project marking IEM's 10th anniversary are available here.