Four international students honored for outstanding merit
Four students from the Warrington College of Business were honored with Certificates of Outstanding Merit from the University of Florida International Center (UFIC) in November.
The award recognizes international students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and display a wide range of commendable accomplishments and contributions. While the award marks recipients for their current successes, it also indicates their ambition to accomplish future goals.
Jose Araujo (MIB ’23), Diego Viteri (MS-ISOM ’23), Jorge Ramirez (MIB ’23) and Na Zhang (Ph.D. ’24) were nominated by Warrington faculty and awarded among other nominees from University of Florida colleges.
Jose Araujo (MIB ’23)
Araujo applied to the Master of International Business (MIB) program after completing his undergraduate degree in business administration from Suffolk University. While at Warrington, he worked as the director of operations for the Hough Ambassadors program, managing communications, teams and activities within the program.
Originally from Ecuador, Araujo plans to continue working abroad, using his education and work experience to attain a career in the entertainment industry.
“I am committed to using this recognition as a catalyst for further growth and to continue contributing positively to the community,” he said.
Diego Viteri (MS-ISOM ’23)
Also from Ecuador, Viteri graduates this year from the Master of Science in Information Systems and Operations Management (MS-ISOM) program. His focus in business analytics at Warrington strengthens his previous graduate education in data science from the University of California San Diego and his work experience in that field.
A highlight of Viteri’s career happened this summer through an internship at Walmart, where he led a 10-week study on supply chain optimization that resulted in a 25% boost in productivity. In the future, he aims to deepen his understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs) through a career in tech and data science.
“This award serves as motivation for me to persist in achieving excellence in my academic and professional endeavors, further solidifying my dedication to creating a positive influence within both the ISOM department and the wider university community,” he said. “I am sincerely thankful for this meaningful award.”
Jorge Ramirez (MIB ’23)
Ramirez carries his enthusiasm for soccer into his education and career. Leaving his home in Colombia, he graduated with a dual degree in sports management and international relations from Loras College before joining the MIB program at Warrington. He has worked in multiple roles at the intersection of business and sports, including a position as an account executive with Minnesota United FC.
As he looks beyond graduating this year, Ramirez anticipates establishing himself in a company where he can excel.
“This certificate is not only a mark of my academic success but also a signal to employers that I have the skills and dedication they value,” he said. “It’s proof that I’ve excelled in both my studies and my readiness for the professional world.”
Na Zhang (Ph.D. ’24)
Inspired by her faculty advisors at Warrington, Zhang has elected to continue her academic journey as a professor. She anticipates continuing her research in the sharing economy and service operations and carrying on a legacy of helping students.
“I was very excited to receive this award,” she said. “Over the years, [my] great passion for research, persistent endeavor and hard work paid off. I will keep up the good work!”
