Why the Master of International Business was the perfect program for this globally-focused student

Makayla Nicholas (BSBA ’20, MIB ’21) will graduate with her Master of International Business (MIB) degree this summer. Prior to the MIB program, she earned her bachelor’s degree in management with a minor in entrepreneurship from Warrington. Upon graduation, she will join Fisher Investments as a Talent Acquisition Associate.

Tell us about your background.

Nicholas: “I am Makayla Nicholas, and I’m a first-generation college student. (Thanks Machen Florida Opportunity Scholarship!) I studied business management and entrepreneurship as an undergrad. I love traveling, fashion and personal style, watching anime and listening to music from all around the world.”

Why did you join the MIB program?

Nicholas: “I joined the MIB program because I wanted to continue globalizing my education while I was still at UF. I aspire to move abroad permanently so I wanted a head start in learning about what business is like around the world. I had hoped to take part in the Global Immersion Experience (GIE), but COVID had other plans!”

What do you enjoy the most in the MIB program?

Nicholas: “Much to my surprise, I enjoyed the friends I made in the program. I had been in classes with a number of them as an undergrad but with all the various group projects we have to do as an MIB student, I was able to bond with some of my classmates and turn them into friends. They were especially important to my success as I started and finished my entire MIB in the isolation of COVID-19.”

What advice do you have for undergraduate students who are thinking of doing the MIB program?

Nicholas: “Your MIB experience can be personalized according to your interests with the amount of elective credits we are allowed to take. I like psychology and learning about people, so I took more HR courses. If you know that having an MIB will help you in your future and you are willing to take on the debt of another degree, go ahead.”

What internships and other activities did you participate in as an undergraduate student?

Nicholas: “As an undergrad, I was focused on global everything. I studied abroad twice: UF in London (where I interned for a small business called “Safe & the City”) and on an exchange with Maastricht University in the Netherlands. I was a Global Gator Guide and Historian of the Global Business Society. I was a Study Abroad Peer Advisor (SAPA) and part of the International Scholars Program (ISP.) As you can tell, I’m REALLY into traveling and study abroad so if you have any questions, reach out to me!”

What are you doing after graduation?

Nicholas: “After graduating, I will be working with Fisher Investments as a Talent Acquisition Associate. I will be working to help college students and early-career professionals join our company. I hope to also learn about finance and investments since I never seemed to ‘get’ anything despite being in 3 different finance classes (whoops!)”

Where do you see yourself 5 years from today?

Nicholas: “I have so many life goals I want to accomplish that sometimes I wonder exactly ‘where’ I will be in 5 years. I hope to be living abroad by then, hopefully back in London and continuing to build a life that I consider ‘successful.’ I definitely will be helping others achieve their goals by sharing all the things I’ve learned throughout my life. Maybe I’ll put my entrepreneurship minor to work and start some businesses!”

Tell us 3 cool things about you.

 Nicholas: “I have a podcast called ‘Let’s Travelle’ where I talk about my study abroad experiences, all the different places I visited, and where I share any wisdom and tips I have about traveling and being a human! (You can find my podcast on pretty much all podcasting platforms: anchor.fm/letstravelle).

I wrote my honors thesis on the impacts of studying abroad on Black students, and now, I’m working with Naomi Harrell, a study abroad advisor at the UF International Center, on a series of events to help more Black students study abroad and have good experiences!

I’ve been to over 10 K-pop concerts, and I hope to go to even more!”