Professional Achievement Award   

Aparna Srinivasan Bawa, Bus Ad ’99
Saratoga, Calif.

As chief operating officer at Zoom, Aparna Bawa helped lead the company through the COVID-19 pandemic, a period of meteoric growth due to the increase in remote work and social distancing. “The most heartening part of working for Zoom,” Aparna says, “is that we have the ability to connect human beings when they need it most.”

Aparna found meaningful connection at Marquette. She came to campus in the footsteps of her sister. “Once I started, I loved the strong focus on community, education and service that comes with Marquette’s values,” she says.

Don Giacomino, professor emeritus of accounting, became an important mentor. “The door to his office was always open, he was always smiling, and you could tell that the advice he gave you was all about helping you,” she recalls. With his guidance, Aparna decided to enter law school after college. “It was a great decision for me,” she says. “It gave me a set of thinking skills that I’ve been able to use throughout my career.” Her path has included previous roles with Inphi Corp., Nimble Storage and Magento Commerce.

Aparna remains committed to serving others and “paying it forward” as a member of Neythri, a cross-generational organization that provides close connections and opportunities for South Asian women in business.

This Marquette award is an honor. “I feel grateful to this warm and loving institution that welcomed me and gave me a wonderful home for four formative years,” she says.

Fun Facts:

What is one of your favorite Marquette memories?

I was born Hindu and I’m a practicing Hindu, and I took a class at Marquette called Women in the Bible. Our professor was so engaging and incorporated every single one of us in the learning process. I will never forget that class. I connected with the perspectives of female characters in religious teachings from several thousand years ago. It changed the way I look at religion completely, including ancient Hindu scriptures as well!

Name someone (past or present) with whom you'd like to have dinner.

If I was going to choose a famous character, it would be Billie Holiday. Her voice and music are inarguably incredible. I am most intrigued, however, by her personal courage in performing the song “Strange Fruit” in the 1930s and ‘40s, well before the civil rights movement in the ‘60s. That, to me, is adopting a no-boundaries mindset.