Caroline Murray
University of San Diego School of Business
“Eclectic. I am an Irish Texan who switches between listening to the BBC and reggaeton.”
Fun fact about yourself: My quarantine hobbies have included learning all of the world capitals and keeping up with the English Premier League.
Hometown: Dallas, TX
High School: Ursuline Academy of Dallas
Major: International Business and Spanish
Minor: International Relations
Favorite Business Course: International Comparative Management and International Business Negotiations
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:
- Student International Business Council: President
- Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity: VP Professional Development
- Alpha Chi Omega: Member
- International Rescue Committee: Volunteer
- Fulbright ETA in Colombia: Semi-Finalist Status (Awaiting final verdict)
- Honors Senior Thesis: Colombia’s Informal Economy (In Progress)
- Dean’s List/ First Honors: Every Semester
Where have you interned during your college career?
Justice in Mexico, Research and Outreach Intern, 2020 (San Diego, CA – Virtual) – I conducted research and composed blog posts about citizen security in Mexico. In addition, I helped film and translate learning materials for the organization’s legal training initiatives.
USD Auxiliary Services, Student Intern, 2019 – 2020 (San Diego, CA) – As a student intern for the Business Director, I determined month-end bank reconciliations, compiled reports, and updated the inventory system with new products and measurements.
WOOM, Intern, 2019 (Madrid, Spain) – I had the opportunity to intern at WOOM while completing my semester abroad in Madrid. During my time there, I translated company marketing materials, proofread blog posts, and helped create social media content.
SocialWay eServices, Digital Marketing Intern, 2018 (Nicosia, Cyprus) – USD’s Student International Business Council gave me this incredible opportunity to intern in Cyprus when I was a freshman. It encouraged me to further pursue opportunities with an international focus.
Where will you be working after graduation? Undecided – I am currently in the process of applying to organizations with a strong international focus.
What company do you admire most? Southwest Airlines. I really admire the company culture that is present at Southwest and I had the opportunity to be a high school intern in the “People” department. As a student, I was introduced to C-suite executives who were genuinely interested in my experience and wanted my time with the company to be valuable.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I’ve learned is how to explain business concepts in a meaningful and accessible way to different groups of people from all over the world. Being able to effectively share my opinion and knowledge with others is a very beneficial skill I’ve learned at the USD School of Business and I think it will prove invaluable in my future career.
What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Be open-minded when choosing not only your classes but also the companies that you want to intern at. All of my internship opportunities were presented to me through the various organizations and individuals I met during my time at USD. You never know who you will meet, so I suggest joining all of the on-campus clubs that interest you. You will begin to organically make connections after that — that’s the best kind of network to build.
What has surprised you most about majoring in business? Business is about connecting with people, not just learning how to balance a checkbook. I have not only become more confident in my speaking abilities, but I have also embraced the idea of networking. I was hesitant before starting my business degree about marketing myself to others but now it is something I look forward to doing.
Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? Looking back on my experience at the USD School of Business, I would not change much in terms of my classes and involvement in organizations like the SIBC and Delta Sigma Pi. However, I would have taken better advantage of the professional speakers that the school brought to campus to speak with students. The Ahlers Center for International Business, in particular, had some incredible international business speakers whose experiences could have given me with much-needed advice about finding a job after graduation.
Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I’m incredibly proud of my time in the Student International Business Council. They gave me the opportunity to gain professional experience right away as a freshman and provided me with a clear path to leadership, culminating in my time as president of the Council. As president, I was able to guide the Council through the transition to virtual meetings and virtual client presentations, while also participating in the Tamarindo Project in El Salvador. Despite the virtual format, the Council continued to grow and welcomed new members!
Which classmate do you most admire? I have been fortunate to be surrounded by very driven and forward-thinking classmates. One individual who has stood out to me is Courtney Wehner, a fellow Delta Sigma Pi member. She has a very strong work ethic, attention to detail, and a genuine will to see all those around her succeed.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? I am extremely grateful to have a family that places an emphasis on working hard and challenges me in different ways. My mom has shown me what it is like to juggle a successful career while also taking time to pursue her passions of traveling, cooking, and raising a family. I want to thank her for giving me her insightful professional guidance and encouraging me to push myself when I lacked motivation.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?
- My long-term goal is to create a nonprofit that has an emphasis on working with disabled children or women’s education.
- Working in Latin America for an organization that has a strong focus on sustainability.
What are your hobbies? Traveling, trying new recipes, learning new languages, and going on hikes around San Diego
What made Caroline such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2021?
“Caroline is an outstanding member of the Class of 2021 and is committed to using her business acumen, Spanish language skills, and global mindset to build a more equitable global business environment. Not only is she an exceptional student academically, but she also has an unparalleled level of international experience and is a leader in multiple student organizations. As a member of the Honors program, she is currently conducting research on “Policy Practices Towards Latin America’s Changing Informal Sector.” The pandemic hasn’t slowed her down. In the summer of 2020, Caroline worked as an intern at Justice in Mexico where she researched the social and environmental impact of foreign mining companies’ activities in the state of Guerrero. That same summer, she also worked with refugee high school students at the International Rescue Committee. Furthermore, in her role as president of the Student International Business Council, she co-led a virtual entrepreneurship workshop in Spanish and English for a women’s cooperative in El Salvador. Witnessing her do this with such confidence, empathy and cultural sensitivity was one of the most impactful moments of my teaching career.”
Eileen Daspro
Clinical Professor of International Business
University of San Diego School of Business
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