Irene Rodriguez

Irene Rodriguez, Class of 2017

June 19, 2018

USF alumna Irene Rodriguez ’17 first started her global engagement long before she landed a position with Citi as a global business analyst. As a dual-degree major in international business and management, with a concentration in marketing, and Italian, Irene studied abroad for four months through Education Abroad’s USF in Florence program. Studying abroad pushed Irene outside of her comfort zone. “[It] taught me how important it is to take risks in life because it comes huge reward.”

With a new perspective on life, Irene returned to campus and became the vice president of the GloBull Ambassadors. But the impact of her experience abroad did not stop there. Irene was recognized by the University of South Florida Muma College of Business 25 Under 25 program and was one of only two students mentioned by President Judy Genshaft at the Spring 2017 graduation ceremony for her exemplary accomplishments.

Irene also credits her time abroad as the catalyst for her career trajectory and as the distinction that allowed her to stand out in the crowd of job applicants. Upon reflecting on her time in Florence, Irene encourages anyone considering studying abroad to just do it and do not think twice. “A lot of maturity, appreciation, and overall joy came from studying abroad. It is the best decision you could make to learn about yourself and other cultures.”