Tell us about yourself.
I was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. I graduated in May 2019 with a BSBA in Information Systems Management and International Business (dual major), as well as a minor in Sociology, from Duquesne University. I first heard about Duquesne when they hosted an event in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where I was able to talk to other fellow Puerto Ricans who attended the university. I heard excellent things about Duquesne, especially regarding students being able to engage with professors one-on-one, and not being “just a number”.
During my Junior year at Duquesne, I heard about the MBA in Sustainable Business Practices while taking my Business Ethics and Global Citizenship course. Dr. Weber, my professor, mentioned how it was a great opportunity provided by Duquesne to dive deeper into sustainability and business ethics. Afterwards, I started becoming more sustainable in my personal life, taking into consideration my own lifestyle. At the same time, I realized how important sustainability was, especially in terms of business management. With all of this in mind, I concluded that I wanted to direct my career path and goals towards this program. Moving forward with the MBA, my goal is to integrate my own personal lifestyle choices about sustainable living to developing successful leadership strategies that will help me evolve as a leader in terms of sustainable business management. Following graduation, my goal is to, slowly but surely, establish myself as humanistic and sustainable manager to support and collaborate with businesses and successfully further their sustainable business practices objectives.
What is one of your favorite things to do in Pittsburgh?
I love being outside in the Fall, when it’s not too cold but not too warm. I often find myself walking Downtown and staring up at the amazingly tall buildings. I love walking across one of the many bridges of the city and admiring the skyline. I also love walking to Market Square and having a casual lunch with friends.
What are you most looking forward to in the next 10 years?
There has been a boom in the “zero waste” movement in recent years. Even though it is impossible to be 100% zero waste as a human being, I hope more people become interested in the minimal waste lifestyle, and in the next 10 years we can develop sustainable habits that become a tradition, “the usual”, and are widely available.
Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
Visiting Japan was a dream come true. I was able to travel to China and Japan through Duquesne’s Maymester. I will admit, China was incredible, but I fell in love with Japan the moment I got off the plane. From foggy Mount Fuji, to the Tokyo Tower, to gorgeous shrines, to insane skyscrapers, to cherry blossom gardens and tea houses… I definitely believe that Japanese history and their complex culture is one of the most interesting in the world.
What is the best way to start the day?
Even though I tend to set one for weekdays, the best way to start the day is waking up naturally without the distressing noise of an alarm. After brushing my teeth, I love brewing a blend of loose-leaf green tea and lemongrass, and sweetening it with a dash of honey. Alongside my morning beverage, I love comedy, so I sit down and sip my tea while watching Good Mythical Morning, a daily and quirky YouTube show that never fails to make me laugh. This is the best way to start the day.
Where would you spend all of your time if you could?
I would spend all my time in an endless international travel experience where I would be able to truly immerse myself in each culture and fully take in every country.
One-Year MBA 