AYANDADSENA

Growing up as an only child with sickle cell disease meant I spent a lot of time alone creating, whether it was through visual art, cardboard inventions, or iMovie trailers. Later in middle school, I learned about the world of investing and entrepreneurship, where my passion for building evolved into an online art & clothing store, a sneaker brand, and a copywriting business. None of them took off, but each taught me that great ideas need strong execution.

Right now that means studying finance at the McCombs School of Business while picking up programming and computation on the side. The more I learn about how markets allocate capital and how thoughtfully designed products can address real-world issues, the more I see business as a tool to create opportunity and improve people's lives — the same way my art helped me connect with others.

My background in art taught me to iterate relentlessly, embrace feedback, and care deeply about the details that make experiences feel human. So whether I'm building financial models, developing products, or thinking through business strategy, I aim to combine analytical thinking with creative perspective.

The tools and industries may change, but what won't is my curiosity to learn, create, and turn ideas into reality.