“To this day, I enjoy visiting the university whenever I am in the U.S. for work or leisure … the campus still feels like home,” says alumna Komal Doshi.
Komal Doshi’s family often jokes that USC should give them a family discount — Komal, her sister and her two brothers-in-law are all Trojans.
However, attending USC was also a highly personal experience for Komal, who attributes her success to the “Fight On” approach instilled in her while obtaining her master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Today, her influential position at a top chemical manufacturing company reflects the competency, confidence and international exposure she found at USC.
A Family Legacy
Today, Komal is the head of global sales and compliance at Eastmen Chemicals, a Mumbai-based metallic salts manufacturing company. She also serves alongside her mother and sister on the company’s management board, which is a second-generation family business.
The company has seen success in the international market, contributing to a growing demand in over 25 countries. It has also received recognition from leading multinational organizations for promoting sustainability and equal opportunity for women in manufacturing.
“We have many women working on the shop floor and in various leadership roles, which sets us apart,” Komal said.
Building an International Career
Before joining Eastmen Chemicals, Komal had a successful career in the health care industry. Bent on getting an internship during her studies at USC, Komal applied to nearly 200 companies before landing an internship position with a leading medical device company in San Jose.
“I must mention that it wasn’t easy … as there were very few internship opportunities back then in biomedical engineering,” Komal recalled.
From there, her coursework, research experience from the ultrasound laboratory and project work at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center prepared her for an interview with Siemens Healthcare (now Siemens Healthineers). There, Komal spent over a decade in various marketing and technical sales roles, both in the U.S. and India.
Komal credits the USC Career Center’s support for helping her launch her career and encourages current students to take advantage of this resource.
“They helped me build a professional resume, assisted with the interview process and provided video recording for improvement,” Komal said. “This was completely state-of-the-art, as I had friends in other universities, and this high level of interest and engagement was unmatched.”
All of Komal’s professional preparation culminated in a career spanning multiple continents. Now, she is passing on her international experience to her 12-year-old daughter.
“My husband … daughter … and I are all very passionate about travel,” Komal said. “We often combine business trips with leisure, and our most recent trip was to South Korea in December 2024.”
An Instrumental Experience
Komal still has fond memories of her time at USC. One of her favorite spots during her studies was Leavey Library, where she spent long hours studying and chatting with friends.
“My roommate once found me fast asleep on the couch inside the library, exhausted from late-night exam prep,” Komal recalls.
She advises prospective students researching potential universities to do their homework — not just investigating a university’s coursework, but also its faculty, laboratories, alumni organizations and access to other leading professionals.
“My USC experience has been instrumental in shaping my personal and professional growth,” Komal said. “From engaging coursework to cheering on the Trojans at football games, and from diverse on-campus jobs such as a florist to research opportunities, USC provided a comprehensive foundation.”