MIB Student Spotlight: Jorge Ramirez
Jorge Ramirez is a current student in the Master of International Business (MIB) program. We spoke with him about why he chose to join the MIB program, his advice for other MIB students, where he expects to be in the next five years, and more.
Q: Tell us about yourself.
Ramirez: “My name is Jorge A. Ramirez, and I was born and raised in Cali, Colombia (a must visit for those who’ve never traveled to South America). I was fortunate enough to attend a bilingual school growing up, which enabled me to think differently since I was a little kid. My parents always taught me and my sister to aim high, and to always seek success in whatever project we were working on, or whatever dream we had in mind. Thanks to their support, I was able to successfully graduate Colegio Bolivar (high school) and permanently leave Colombia in hopes of the best possible future I could envision for myself. Not only was I able to land a solid scholarship for my undergraduate degree in the state of Iowa, but I was also able to acquire a full-time role in the state of Minnesota for a year before pursuing a new educational challenge with the Warrington College of Business. Wherever I go, I am the proudest Colombian you’ll meet, and I’m happy to be able to represent my country in major settings such as this one (University of Florida).”
Q: Why did you join the MIB program?
Ramirez: “I joined the MIB program because I needed a higher level of educational expertise before landing the job of my dreams in the near future. The University of Florida is not only a TOP public school in the country, but it also has one of the best business programs out there through the Warrington College of Business. By coming here, not only was I stepping out of my comfort zone (which is something I love doing), but it also meant that I wanted to explore new opportunities in the state of Florida by expanding my general knowledge skills/networking abilities. Gainesville is the most diverse place I’ve ever lived at, and I intend to take advantage of every minute of every day whilst I’m here. Adapting to this new environment was extremely easy due to the quality of people you’re able to find.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Ramirez: “I see myself as a guest speaker at a Warrington event. I want to become a successful businessperson in the sports industry, and work hard enough in order to be able to achieve financial stability as well as professional recognition at an early age. More importantly, I want to be a role model for those future students walking the halls of Hough Hall every day, also hoping to land a job that can satisfy their needs. Not only do I want to be a point of contact (alumni connections), but I actually want to help them achieve their dreams, especially if their dreams have any correlation to what I’ll be doing by then.”
Q: Any words of wisdom for future MIB students?
Ramirez: “Be nice. A lot of professionals call it ‘networking’ during career fairs or symposiums, but in reality, I see it as simply being polite and approachable to whoever is talking to you at any given moment. You not only have to practice being sociable with those who can help you get somewhere, or those who can help you get a job, but instead, you have to be nice to people at all times because you don’t know what can happen in the future. They might become your best friend, or someone who can partner with you whenever you decide to start your own business, for example. You also need to be nice given that you don’t know what someone’s going through at the moment (mental health). Ask questions, smile to other people, compliment them on the little things, be grateful. By doing this at all times, you’ll have no concerns/issues when actually having to network with companies.”
Jorge and his mother.
Q: What sport do you play and why do you like it?
Ramirez: “I grew up playing soccer (the one true sport) and to this day, it is my favorite thing to do in the whole world. As someone who loves competition, soccer is a discipline that exudes passion wherever you go, and it tends to be a universal language. People from all over the globe play it. Growing up, it’s what helped me make friends, and generate an identity which is tough to do when you’re just a little kid. What I like the most about this particular sport is the concept of collectivism that can easily be applied to it disregarding the level of the players on any given match. When celebrating a goal, regardless of who scores, everyone bursts in excitement. While everyone has to fulfill their own individual role, success can only happen when a team is compact. I could go on and on about this…”
Q: Tell us a cool fact about you.
Ramirez: “I speak three languages. Back in 2016, I moved to Milan, Italy for 6 months after graduating high school. I did this with the intention of learning Italian and trying out for a few professional soccer teams up there as well. Good thing I was able to learn the language at least!”
