| If you no longer wish to receive our emails, you may unsubscribe here |
 |
BizBuzz Marketing student makes most of university's expansive approach to learning.
When Carlos McGrath told his friends and family that he was going to Alaska for six months to study, they were a little baffled. “To me, Alaska represented an opportunity to be in a place that was vastly different from Miami,” McGrath said. “But most of my friends just thought ‘Wow, it’s cold.’” This International Business Honors (IBH) student went anyway, attending school in Juneau at the University of Alaska, experiencing native culture, hiking in the state’s stunning parks, and marveling at the aurora borealis. “The people were incredible,” McGrath said. “They were open, adventurous, and fun to be around.” The exuberance that accompanies McGrath’s description of his time in Alaska gives you a strong sense that you’re talking to someone with a big appetite for both life and learning. A marketing major who expects to graduate this year, he has made the most of his time in the College of Business Administration, taking full advantage of the opportunities that the school affords to those who seek an uncommon kind of learning experience. In the summer following his sophomore year, McGrath did a marketing internship with the Foreign Agricultural Service at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, where he conducted market research for American exports and conducted analyses of the trade impact of European Union regulations. The youngest of all interns in the program, he showed such promise that his boss sent him to Portugal for a week on a special project. Being able to match skills and ability with those from big-name, private universities made him proud of his school and the education it was providing him. “Florida International University offers so much if you’re willing to take advantage of it,” McGrath said. “My time here has been so meaningful, in large part because the school takes an expanded view of learning that emphasizes experiences beyond the classroom.” A desire to learn and live abroad remain important to him. Still in the throes of wanderlust by the spring semester of his junior year, McGrath returned to Madrid to study at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. While there, he made trips to France and Italy and was in the latter at World Cup time, an experience he described as “unbelievable.” “All these opportunities came through the college,” he said. McGrath currently is interning at BankBoston International as a private banking account manager to Latin Américan customers. He loves the work, but envisions some day striking out on his own. In fact, that day may come sooner than later. The senior business student is participating in the university’s New Venture Challenge, a competition that could net him $15,000 in start-up money for a business endeavor with his brother. “I know what it’s like to own a business and I think it’s very powerful,” McGrath said. “And the university really helps nurture your entrepreneurial drive.” If that weren’t enough, for his senior project, he is partnering with a buddy from Harvard to launch a Miami-based mentoring program for immigrant schoolchildren. “I also know what it’s like to come to this country as a youth,” McGrath said. “The culture shock and the language barrier can be overwhelming.” Reflecting on his college education, McGrath sees promise and fulfillment. “I believe we all have vast potential,” he said. “By taking risks in life, facing our fears, and having confidence in ourselves, we can open a world of opportunities and achieve extraordinary things. With this principle in mind, I have surprised even myself with what I have accomplished and learned during my four short years at Florida International University.”
|
|
|