Senior Spotlight: Meet Zane Hasan — Finance and MIS Major, Class of 2025

As Zane Hasan prepares to graduate from the University of Arizona with a double major in Finance and Management Information Systems, he reflects on a college journey shaped by growth, self-discovery, and a commitment to helping others. In this interview, Zane shares how his time as a Wildcat and as a team member at Startup Wildcats has influenced his future goals and career path. 

Check out the video interview at the bottom of this page. ⬇️

Startup Wildcats: Looking back, how would you describe your journey as a Wildcat? What is one word that defines your college experience? 

Zane: If I could put one word to it, probably just growth. For example, my BCOM314 class was very dependent on public speaking and things like that. Going into the class, I was not a public speaker, but the first day there, she pointed me out – the professor – and she said, “give everyone your elevator pitch.” But after having gone through the class and spending the semester presenting, I became a way better presenter and became way more comfortable with public speaking. I feel like I’ve used that in all aspects of my life: academically, personally, and professionally. And that’s just one example of how I grew, but I would say to sum up my college experience, it’s a lot of growth. 
 
Startup Wildcats: How has working with Startup Wildcats influenced your own entrepreneurial mindset? 

Zane: Working with Startup Wildcats has had a really big influence on my life, because it kind of pushed me to be a lot more proactive in different areas. One thing that the entrepreneurial mindset taught me is to always keep seeking new opportunities, whether it's through work, personally or professionally. That’s one of the things I learned working here, and I try to apply that in all aspects of my life.  

Startup Wildcats: Do you feel like your work at Startup Wildcats has helped you build a foundation for future jobs? 

Zane: I definitely think my work at Startup Wildcats has built a good foundation. I definitely built up a lot of customer service skills, as well as learning how to connect with customers, gauge their interests and needs, and give them resources to reach those needs. This was also what I considered my first professional job, so getting that experience really helped build me up in that sense, and it also helped me figure out what I wanted to do long term. I really enjoyed helping students and helping them find their niche and what they’re interested in, in terms of entrepreneurship, and maybe what businesses they wanted to start. So, that kind of led me down the path of wanting to help people in my future career. 

Startup Wildcats: You were selected as a finalist for the Noble Reach Scholars program. Can you tell us more about what the program is, how you achieved that, and what being a finalist has meant to you personally and professionally?                 

Zane: I was interested in Noble Reach because their whole mission is connecting young professionals to mission-driven or government-based organizations that solve problems and create more innovative processes through entrepreneurship. This really resonated with me because my work at Startup Wildcats really built my entrepreneurial mindset. So, I really wanted to apply that mindset to solving problems and helping others. The work they’re doing is really interesting, they’re behind a lot of innovation. 

Startup Wildcats: Tell us about the job you will be starting after graduation and how you landed that role. 

Zane: After I graduate, I’m going to be working with the National Bank of Arizona as an associate credit analyst. I got this job through a professor I had. One of the key parts of the entrepreneurial mindset is kind of advocating for yourself, and through my work with Kelly King, I also learned about how important networking was. So, I decided to apply that to my career goals, and I started networking with different professors and faculty within Eller. 

Startup Wildcats: If you could go back in time and give your “freshman-year self” one piece of advice, what would it be? 

Zane: Be more involved. I feel like I was pretty involved, but when I came in, I was always looking forward and not appreciating the time I had here. So I kind of do wish I had been involved in different clubs, or tried more things that piqued my interests. But overall, I mean, I’m really thankful for my experience. 

Startup Wildcats: What legacy do you want to leave behind on campus? 

Zane: I want to be remembered at the U of A as a good friend and someone who is very dependable. If anyone ever needs any help, they can always reach out to me. That’s how I want people to remember me and my experience here.