Khushpreet Grewal

Khushpreet Grewal is not one to be deterred by setbacks. As a high school graduate in India, she was on the path to becoming an accountant, pursuing her love of math in college. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and she was forced to pause her studies. “I was sitting at home for eight months, and I thought, ‘I don’t want my college experience to be sitting at home,’” she says.

After moving to Alberta, she found herself in a new country, faced with the daunting prospect of pursuing her studies while building a network and a career. “When I first moved here, I was so scared because of the culture change. I was so nervous even talking to people in my class,” she remembers.

Khushpreet signed up to participate in a business case competition, which proved to be a game changer. “I felt so motivated. I felt so good about myself, and then I met people there and made really good friends,” she says.

Finding a place of belonging inspired Khushpreet to give back to others who might be struggling to find their own place in university. “I don’t want students to go through what I went through, of wanting something, but not being able to find it,” she says. She decided to start a case competition student club, which competes across Canada and internationally and provides students with excellent professional experience, a network, and a social circle. She hopes the club provides future students with what case competitions gave her: “I can always look back and just be proud of myself for doing something because I don’t want students to go through what I went through.”

Q&A with Khushpreet

What does being named a Capitalize Campus Star mean to you?

It is a huge honour for me to be named a Capitalize Campus Star and receive recognition for all the hard work I am putting into my school and future career. I think I told every person I know about this, and this is a huge thing for me. It validates the effort I’ve put into building my skills, contributing to my campus community, and pursuing my goal of becoming a CPA. It motivates me to reach my full potential and keep working hard in the future, knowing my efforts will be recognized.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank for their help or inspiration?

My parents. I owe everything to them. They have supported me every step along this journey, and it’s always a huge relief knowing they are always there for me no matter what.

I couldn’t have done it all without my fiancé by my side; he is also pursuing his CPA right now and has always been there for me to walk me through every step and keep me motivated.

I would also like to thank Naomi Paisley, an instructor at SAIT, for her unwavering guidance, support, and inspiration throughout my journey.

What piece of advice or feedback has been most meaningful or impactful for you?

The most meaningful advice I’ve received is “Your network is your net worth.” Starting to network and build more connections has had a profound impact on my journey. I never really understood why people focused on making connections so much until I secured my internship because of the connections I made at Deloitte. Networking has taught me the importance of building authentic relationships and how those connections can shape both your career and personal development.

Capitalize and CPA Alberta are proud to introduce the 2025 class of Capitalize Campus Stars. The Campus Stars program recognizes amazing Alberta post-secondary students who are dreaming of one day becoming CPAs. Learn more about the whole 2025 class!