Student Spotlight: Abbigail Halem
The Warrington College of Business is full of standout students. No matter their program or major, students are using their time on campus to prepare for impactful careers. This series features exceptional students from across Warrington.
Abbigail Halem is a Master of International Business (MIB) student. Learn more about what makes Abbigail a standout student at the Warrington College of Business.
Q: Can you tell us about yourself and why you decided to come to UF?
Halem: “I am half Puerto Rican and half Jewish from Apopka, Florida. I chose to go to UF because I have been a Gator fan since I was young.”
Q: Why did you choose the Master of International Business program?
Halem: “I chose to do the MIB combined program because I thought it was a great opportunity to be able to get both a bachelor’s and master’s within four years. I first heard about the program at an information session my sophomore year, applied during the fall of my junior year, and started the program the spring of my junior year.”
Q: What’s your best experience in the Master of International Business program so far?
Halem: “My favorite part of the program so far has been meeting all the diverse students and traveling to Berlin for the Global Immersion Experience (GIE). We spent a week in the city with events such as company visits and presentations along with tours of Berlin. We also had time to explore on our own.”
Q: When do you graduate and what will you be doing after graduation?
Halem: “I will be graduating May 2, 2020 and will be starting my job with Merrill Lynch in July. I was offered the position with them after a ten-week summer internship program. I found this opportunity after attending the career fair in spring. For this specific internship, I was very worried I was too late because summer was only a few months away. However, their internships don’t start until June and this was just their timeline. The main takeaway is that even if you think you are too late to apply, apply anyway.”
Q: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Halem: “Five years from now I hope to have a family and a successful career. Additionally, I hope to have a dog or multiple.”
Q: What do you do in the time you’re not studying for the Master of International Business program?
Halem: “Aside from school I enjoy hanging out with friends and going to theme parks. My favorite theme park is Universal and has been since I was little. Before I was tall enough to ride rollercoasters, I used to stuff toilet paper in my shoes to be taller. After working there, I fell even more in love with the parks.”
Halem: “I would suggest to freshman and sophomores to pick two clubs, one for professional development and one for fun. Additionally, I would urge them to go to any info session that sparks their interest early on, whether it is with recruiters for a company or information about opportunities within Warrington. Recruiters like seeing familiar faces and it is good to make a connection with them early on.
I found out about the MIB program at the end of the spring of my sophomore year and gave myself that whole summer to study for the GMAT. My most important takeaway with the exam was that I should have focused more on timing my practice exams because it is also about how quickly you can get through the exam.”
Q: Any fun facts you’d like to share about yourself?
Halem: “I studied abroad in Salzburg, Austria. I worked at Universal Studios for two-and-a-half years. I have a sister that looks like my twin but we’re actually two-and-a-half years apart.”
