University News
125 Anniversary Celebration: Swarnaprava Mishra
May 19, 2025

Editor's Note: This is a series of stories about ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app Illinois University students, alumni and community members, highlighting their experiences during our 125th anniversary celebration. We will feature 125 individuals from August 2024 to August 2025.
MACOMB, IL - - For alumna Swarnaprava Mishra, ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app Illinois University is characterized by a quality education and a welcoming and supportive community that makes you feel at home.
"When I think about ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app, I think about home," Mishra said. "A place that will always feel like my home in the U.S. as an international student. The quality education, engaging activities and the warm, supportive nature of the people made my experience at ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app truly special, memorable and unique."
To Mishra, being a Leatherneck is more than just a title—it's an identity rooted in pride, unity and resilience.
"A Leatherneck represents pride, resilience and a strong sense of community. I truly felt the spirit of what it means to be a Leatherneck through the support, opportunities and connections I found at ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app," Mishra said. "To me, being a Leatherneck is a lifelong identity built on unity, purpose and pride."
Reflecting on her time as a student, Mishra's favorite Leatherneck memory is being elected as an International Student Ambassador.
"As an International Student Ambassador at ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app, I had the meaningful opportunity to support both incoming and current students by answering their questions and helping them navigate university life," Mishra said.
Mishra works as a senior analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and credits ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app with providing her networking opportunities and career development opportunities.
"My journey truly began at ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app. Through ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app's NABA Chapter, I had the chance to connect with corporate professionals, which opened the door to the national NABA network," Mishra said. "Attending the NABA National Conference in Louisiana proved pivotal—I networked with professionals from various firms, including JPMorgan Chase. I'm deeply grateful to ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app and everyone I met along the way who supported and shaped my career path."
As a student, Mishra was actively involved on campus. She was the vice president of the NABA ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app Chapter and the team captain of ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app's winning team in the nationwide DATAFEST competition organized by the American Statistical Association (ASA) in 2022 and 2023, representing the ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app Applied Statistics and Decision Analytics program.
For those considering attending ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app, Mishra's advice is to get involved and take advantage of the professional development opportunities ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app offers.
"Join activities and be part of a chapter that aligns with your interests. Connect with professors, seniors and the career center to learn from their experiences and gain insights into the job market or an advanced career," Mishra said. "Also, take time to explore the beautiful ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app campus, library, and recreation center. Embrace the journey and wear your Leatherneck pride with honor!"
As we honor 125 years of educational excellence, we invite local ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app students, alumni, faculty and staff to share their stories and be featured in our series. Contact University Communications at U-Communications@wiu.edu to participate.
To learn more about the ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½app MS Applied Statistics and Decision Analytics program, visit wiu.edu/cbt/eds/graduate-appliedstats.php.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
Connect with us: