A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Suki-Anna Paul graduated from the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics as a double major in international business and marketing.
Paul was nominated for this series by Assistant Professor of Business Administration Eva Alfoldi and Assistant Professor of Management Kurt Norder. In this profile, Paul shares her favorite UD memories, challenges she has overcome and her plans following graduation.
Lerner: How do you think you have changed from your first semester at UD to now?
Paul: I’ve always been ambitious, but my college journey has taught me how to discern opportunities based on what works best for me, to not simply look at the package it’s wrapped in. Also, to walk confidently knowing that the spaces I’ve been able to occupy and walk in are not by accident but by favor and hard work.
Lerner: What have been some of the challenges you have faced during your college experience and how did you overcome them?
Paul: It’s very easy to burnout if you don’t make intentional time for you to relax and do the things that help you reset. School, orgs, jobs, events will all demand your attention in different ways but even the fun events get tiring if you don’t have calmer moments built into your schedule as well. Once I realized that, I began to weigh the cost of my attendance and whether I “had to go to everything.”
Lerner: What was your favorite signature UD experience and why?
Paul: Two key moments stand out: founding sisters of the word (SOW), a women’s fellowship ministry on campus but also my fall ‘25 study abroad in Paris. Both experiences have stretched me in ways I couldn’t have imagined and have led to lifelong relationships I will always hold dear.
Lerner: Did you have a Lerner professor or staff member that had a big impact on your UD experience?
Paul:
– Beth Schinoff: helped me understand organizational structure and the frameworks of business leadership, opening my eyes to the true impact potential of leaders.
– Anu Sivaraman: was very intentional about meeting us where we were at, filling in any gaps in knowledge that we didn’t have so that we could truly succeed. She was flexible in her teaching style to ensure we truly were learning and understanding market research.
– Eva Afoldi: has a way of pulling you into her world of experiences, and in that my passion for international marketing grew. Her class reinforced that international marketing is something I want to pursue at some point in my career.
One thing these professors all have in common is the investment approach they have in their students. Their goal is to teach you their subject matter but also to prepare you for the real world beyond the classroom.
Lerner: What does being a “Lifelong Lerner” mean to you?
Paul: A “Lifelong Lerner” is a commitment to challenge myself, to innovate, to carve paths where there once wasn’t. To be a “Lifelong Lerner” is to recognize that college is not the end but the beginning of what I will go on to do!
Lerner: What advice would you give to incoming students to make the most out of their college experience?
Paul: PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE! Be willing to try new things and ask questions because the worst someone can say is no. Throughout your experience, you’ll learn what’s for you and what isn’t but it’s better to stop something after trying it than to live with the regret of what ifs.
Lerner: What are your plans following graduation?
Paul: I will be participating in a graduate leadership program then transitioning into my full-time role as a media coordinator!