Meet the Class of 2026 Student Speakers

At this year’s Undergraduate Main Ceremony, the Class of 2026 will hear from two graduating students whose experiences reflect what it means to step up on campus and step out into the world. One brings a global lens and a passion for innovation. The other pairs economic insight with leadership at the highest competitive level.

Their paths to this stage were different, but both were shaped by curiosity, discipline, and drive. Together, they represent what it means to be a Pace graduate.

Valedictorian Speaker

Image

Caroline Zanuto-Winter

BA in Computer Science, Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems
Pleasantville

Caroline is a 4.0 student and Dean’s List honoree who exemplifies academic excellence and determination. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, she moved to the United States to pursue her ambitions, bringing a global perspective that defines her Pace experience.

During her Pace journey, Caroline was selected for the Fall 2025 United Nations Academic Impact and Millennium Campus Network Millennium Fellowship, where she collaborated with peers across 16 nations on a multilingual advocacy campaign in 9 languages. The project culminated in an in-person event, taking online awareness into real world change.

As a computer science student, Caroline built a mobile app for her capstone project, serving as both product lead and developer and guiding the project from concept to execution. Most recently, as a product manager intern at WEX Inc., she applied her expertise in computer science and generative AI to improve team efficiency, demonstrating the kind of real-world learning that prepares Pace students to lead in their fields.

From global collaboration to hands-on innovation, Caroline has consistently translated her ideas into action. Her work reflects a strong foundation in both technical skill and leadership, culminating in her recognition as valedictorian.

Opportunitas Speaker

Image

Suraj Sharma

BA in Economics/MS in Applied Quantitative Economics, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences
New York City

Suraj Sharma’s dedication to his field reflects the spirit of Opportunitas—turning academic pursuit into meaningful impact. During his time at Pace, he earned numerous honors, including the Award for Excellence in Academic Research, induction into the International Economics Honor Society, Dean’s List First Honors, and is graduating with a 4.0 GPA.

One of his proudest achievements was leading Pace’s National Federal Reserve Challenge team as team captain, outperforming Harvard and UCLA among 136 competing schools and securing the title for Pace for the sixth time—more than any other university. Suraj also serves as an ambassador for Pace’s Economics Student Leadership Initiative, a mentor for the International Economics Honor Society, a member of Pace University’s National Association for Business Economics chapter, and sits on the Economics Advisory Board.

Complementing his academic achievements, Suraj has gained industry experience through roles at JPMorgan and PIMCO, along with hands-on work in tri-party repo analysis and credit spread research. After graduation, Suraj will join PIMCO as an institutional client management account analyst.

Across these experiences, Suraj has demonstrated a consistent commitment to excellence, leadership, and real-world application. As an Opportunitas Speaker, Suraj embodies what it means to seize opportunity at Pace—and to turn it into lasting impact.