Student Spotlight: Katherine Smith
Katherine “Kate” Smith is graduating from the Master of International Business (MIB) program this spring. As she looks forward to the future, Smith reflects on her most meaningful experiences at Warrington and anticipates her career ahead.
Q: What is your background?
Smith: “My name is Kate Smith and I was born and raised in Naples, Florida. The University of Florida has been my dream school ever since I was a child, and the day I was accepted into UF was one of the best days of my life. I recently graduated with my bachelor’s in Finance and a minor in Mass Communications last spring and will be finishing my master’s in International Business this upcoming spring.”
Q: What are your most meaningful memories from the MIB program?
Smith: “I first entered the MIB program as a combined degree student in my junior year. The first half of my time in the program was centered around the pandemic, because it resulted in all online classes. Being able to be back in person for my last year has been fulfilling and unforgettable.
“The MIB program has given me the opportunity to take a wide variety of classes, expanding and diversifying my knowledge base and allowing me to find my interests and motivations. On top of that, I have made friends for life and developed meaningful relationships with many of my professors along the way.”
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
Smith: “This past summer I had the amazing opportunity of interning with Goldman Sachs in their Dallas office. Being able to apply what I’ve learned in my finance classes to real-world situations was extremely rewarding for me. I am happy to say I have accepted a full-time position with Goldman Sachs in their Private Wealth Management division in their West Palm Beach office. After graduation in May, I will be traveling with my family before starting my position in early August.”
Q: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Smith: “Professionally, five years from now I hope to be well-established on my team and become a vital asset to the company. I wish to learn everything in my field and be well-equipped in my role. Gaining my certification in financial planning (CFP) is also a huge goal of mine.
“Personally, I hope to be happy and adapted to my new home. I also wish to maintain relationships with my friends from college and develop new ones.”
Q: Do you have any advice to share with future MIB students?
Smith: “Some advice I would give future MIB students would be to utilize all the resources you can. This program offers so many opportunities to grow and seek help when needed and I wish I took advantage of them sooner. Baily Houston was such an immense help to me when I was initially applying for internships. We worked on my resume, cover letter and interviewing techniques all summer and I am so thankful for all his help.”
Q: Share a cool fact about yourself.
Smith: “I started dancing when I was two years old and did competitive dance for over 10 years. Dance was always my creative outlet, and when I came to college I wanted to continue having a similar hobby. I participated in many of my sorority’s dance competitions, and this will always be one of my favorite memories from college.”
