Alumni Stories: Ammar Tajani

When he first arrived at Hudson in Grade 9, Ammar Tajani really thought he was going to be a doctor.

“It was only after my Grade 11 biology teacher helped me realize what kind of training and knowledge was required,” he says. “By taking her class and having a lot of conversations with her, I ultimately decided it wasn’t for me.”

So in many ways, Hudson helped him figure out what he didn’t want to do. As a recent University of Toronto graduate with a Bachelor’s in Economics and Statistics, Ammar has come a long way— and he credits his teachers and the welcoming community at Hudson for getting him to where he is today.

“One thing that struck me immediately about Hudson is that everyone was so welcoming and engaging,” he recalls. “I was accepted not only by my teachers and my peers, but by older, upper school classmates in Grades 11 and 12.” He also remembers that the structured-yet-engaging group work was very inclusive, which strengthened the sense of community. “Everyone got to participate, everyone had a voice, and no one was drowned out.”

Hudson gave him the tools to become a more well-rounded person, specifically, the three-semester system, which gives students ample time to really explore subjects they’re passionate about. He also cites his leadership role on student council; his teachers’ encouragement to volunteer on service projects; and his awesome table tennis team (he won championships in doubles twice, two years in row!). “Hudson has an atmosphere where you can create real balance in your life,” he states. “It gives you time to focus on yourself and develop as a person.”

One particular skill he developed at Hudson was a result of daily, open dialogue with teachers and peers.

“At Hudson, I learned how to talk to many types of people—people from different age groups, as well as from different cultures. To this day, I believe that helped me develop my career skills and my ability to communicate well, to be respectful and open to other’s perspectives.”

He says it definitely gave him an edge when interviewing for internships, and nd it seems to be paying off. The summer of his freshman year at the University of Toronto, he was one of the youngest candidates to land an internship as a Financial and Strategic Analyst at Scotiabank, which led to another internship in Global Risk Management. He went on to an internship at International Bearings Inc., which led to a position as an Investment Analyst at 1832 Asset Management L.P. As a result of all of his experiences, he graduated with a robust list of financial sector firms with which to interview.

Ammar cites Hudson as a place that opened doors for him—a place that helped him in his journey to find a new interest: finance. He enjoys the fact that, in finance, no day is ever the same—there are always ever-changing events, market fluctuations, and variables.