30 Years of Impact Generational Change Support Inspiration
PARAS SINGH
TAF@Saghalie | Class of 2019
Corporate Development Manager
GRVTY
Learning to Think Beyond the Box
The relationships I built at TAF really define who I am today.
When Paras Singh arrived at TAF as a sixth grader, it wasn’t entirely by choice. His father had chosen the school for him—a decision Paras now sees as life-shaping.
At TAF, Paras learned to think differently, collaborate, and explore new possibilities through project-based learning, STEM Expo, engineering, Chinese Club, and team projects.
What began as a path chosen for him became a community of mentors and peers who helped him grow with confidence.
Where Effort Creates Opportunity
If you put effort into something that you care about, people recognize that.
One of the most important lessons Paras took from TAF was the connection between effort and opportunity.
In middle school, Paras admits he did not always give school his full effort. Teachers, mentors, and his parents pushed him to take education seriously, helping him see their feedback as belief in his potential.
An engineering project helped that lesson click. Paras and classmates developed an early concept for glasses to support people who are visually impaired. As he invested more effort, others encouraged him to refine the idea, approaching it as a real-world application. That effort opened an unexpected door. Through TAF, Paras and fellow students worked with Microsoft team members to strengthen their projects. As a freshman, he then presented his work to Microsoft’s CEO—an almost unbelievable experience.
TAF’s project-based environment taught him collaboration, problem solving, and perseverance—which have carried him well throughout college and his career.
From UW to Wall Street
After TAF, Paras studied Finance at the University of Washington and stayed open to opportunities that would continue to challenge him. That mindset led him to investment banking.
After multiple internships and years of preparation, Paras joined Jefferies, working on mergers and acquisitions and complex strategic financial decisions for large companies nationwide.
The demanding work reinforced a TAF lesson: growth comes from challenging yourself and being willing to enter unfamiliar territory.
Building the Future
I wanted to be a part of something, to help build something meaningful that serves critical needs for everyday Americans and troops abroad.
A mentor connected Paras with an executive in the defense sector, leading to a series of interviews and a career pivot. He left investment banking to join GRVTY, a rapidly growing defense technology company, where he focuses on mergers and acquisitions and corporate strategy.
He identifies emerging technologies, evaluates acquisitions, and supports solutions to national security challenges across cyber, space, undersea, and defense systems.
The role appealed to his desire to help build meaningful solutions and continue to challenge himself in his career path. He’s excited to see this company evolve as it continues to grow.
Advice for Current Students
Any limitation you have in your own mind is self-imposed. You never know how good you can be at something unless you try it.
Paras believes success comes from staying open, embracing challenges, and refusing to let fear define what is possible. Paras encourages students to remain curious, work hard, and avoid placing limits on themselves.
Growth, he says, often comes from pushing through challenges and staying open to unexpected opportunities.
Generational Change in Action
From STEM Expo projects to shaping national security technology, Paras continues to apply the lessons he first learned at TAF: think bigger, work harder, and keep learning.
Paras’s journey reflects TAF’s power to combine rigorous academics, real-world problem solving, and meaningful relationships that help students discover their potential.
