Carlos Armando Alvarez-Macias

University of Arizona, Eller College of Management

“A positive and dedicated professional who makes everything a positive experience. Call me Captain Charisma!”

Fun fact about yourself: I can sight-read music sheets, which means that it would take me about 30 seconds to analyze a sheet of music then play it (on piano).

Hometown: Nogales, Arizona

High School: Nogales High School

Major: Marketing

Minor: Spanish

Favorite Business Course: MKTG 450 – Consumer Behavior (Dr. Sangeetha Venkataramani)

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

School Awards

• Academic Year Highest Academic Distinction (2019-20)
• Academic Year Academic Distinction (2020-21, 2021-22)
• Dean’s List with Distinction (Fall 19’, Spring 20’, Fall 22’)
• Dean’s List (Spring 21’, Fall 21’, Spring 22’)
• Eller Scholar of the Year (2022-23)
• Wildcat Excellence Award
• Dean’s Exemplary Award
• Bob Brubaker Award
• Top 50 Hispanic Scholar (2020-2022)
• Top Multicultural Student (2019-2022)
• Shamrock Farms Marketing Case Competition Winning Team 2021

Leadership Roles

• Eller Hispanic Honorary – President (2022-23)
• Eller Hispanic Honorary – Vice President of Community Service (2021-22)

Extracurricular Activities

• Leadership Empowerment and Academic Development Program (LEAD)
• Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA)
• Blue Chip Leadership Program
• Eller Student Excellence Fund Committee Member
• IU National Diversity Case Competition Participant (2022, 2023)
• MKTG 361 Preceptorship – Introduction to Marketing (Dr. Lilian Almeida)
• BNAD 200 Preceptorship – Career Management in Business (Marisa Allen)

Community Work

• Eller Make a Difference Day (2020-2022)
• Desert View High School Mentorship Program (Career Development & DECA Case Competition) – recurring
• Tucson Meet Yourself (2020-22)
• Habitat for Humanity (2020-22)
• American Heart Association Heart Ball
• Food Bank of Southern Arizona
• Reid Park Zoo
• Tucson Clean & Beautiful
• Youth on their Own (Donation Drive)
• Campus Pantry (Donation Drive)
• Casa de los Niños (Donation Drive)
• Children’s Museum Tucson

Where have you interned during your college career?

• Techtronic Industries (TTI) – Field Sales Representative and Marketing Specialist
• University of Arizona, Dean of Students Office – Higher Education Lead Front Desk Asst. (Academic Integrity & Marketing)

Where will you be working after graduation? I enrolled in the Master of Science in Marketing program in the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona. I will also be working as a Graduate Assistant for Student Assistance & Marketing in the University of Arizona Dean of Students Office.

Who is your favorite business professor? Dr. Lilian Almeida was my Introduction to Marketing (MKTG 361) professor during my junior year. Her class was interactive, and it helped me further develop my passion for studying marketing. Dr. Almeida made the concepts very easy to understand. The class project applied our knowledge to a real-world situations. In addition, she consistently encouraged us to look at different sides of a marketing strategy and provided helpful feedback on our assignments. Dr. Almeida is one of the best faculty members of the Eller College. Her positivity, intellect, and dedication to students resonate among Eller staff, scholars, and faculty.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I have learned from studying business is that working with anyone is one of the best life skills you can have. Business is everywhere, requiring a team of people who specialize in certain areas. Within marketing itself, society has many assumptions that make people believe it is easy to do and too general. Studying business has shown me that this is not the case; there are many avenues you can explore, like research, consumer behavior, and digital marketing. These areas of study synergize into what makes a business function. Teamwork plays a vital role and goes together with incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? I advise students who are interested in majoring in the field of business to keep an open mind. This major will help you grow and learn to work with people who are very different from you. It is essential always to be open to new ideas, feedback, and topics that you disagree with. One’s decision will always be different from yours. Still, it will help you learn new avenues to improve your long-term decision-making. Knowing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion is crucial as an organization’s success relies on this topic. Not only will business provide you with the skills necessary to excel, but it will also help you personally develop!

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? One thing that has surprised me the most in business is how much it builds your character. Through courses like business communications, I have learned a lot about myself and where I fit in a team environment. I discovered more about my personality and my professional persona. I am a completely different person than I was three years ago. Looking back at my experiences, I’ve seen how much you learn from being a business major. We get a different perspective on the situation, are more innovative, and look at every aspect of a problem. Going into business, one might think we solely focus on money, but that is untrue. Business surprised me because it made me more aware of why companies have a social responsibility, help the community, and have missions to improve the well-being of others.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why?  After looking back at my experience in business school, one thing I would do differently is taking on more leadership roles in earlier classes and extracurricular activities. This realization is one thing I missed that could have helped me learn more about my leadership style at an earlier stage and exposed me to different opportunities. Instead, I waited too long to get more involved in leadership positions.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? The achievement I am most proud of is becoming the President of the Eller Hispanic Honorary. I became aware of the honorary program during my first year. During that time, I was looking for my community on campus and crossed paths with this prestigious organization. The honorary inducted me as a new member in the Spring of 2020. The sense of welcome I attained from the honorary and the members made me run for President. I aim to bring the best companies to our meetings to have professional workshops with our members and provide them with internship/full-time opportunities. Additionally, my mission is to continue giving Hispanic/Latinx students a safe place to be authentic and connect with others with similar cultural backgrounds. One of the things I enjoy the most is working with other diverse organizations to bring amazing opportunities for our members.

Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate I admire the most is Alfredo Jesus Cuestas (Accounting). While Alfredo is not in every single class with me, I always look up to him for his work ethic and leadership. We have been in the same student organizations since our first year. I know Alfredo has gone through a plethora of obstacles and challenges, and his grit and dedication are things I look up to. He is highly involved within Eller while also maintaining high academic excellence! He is also the Vice President for the Eller Hispanic Honorary. I could not ask for a better partner to ensure we continue providing students with the best Eller experience!

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would love to thank Veronica Atondo, the Assistant Director for Undergraduate Engagement and Belongingness at the Eller College of Management. Veronica has been there for me and others as a support system since my freshman year. She has helped me grow tremendously through her advice, positivity, and dedication to undergraduate students. As a freshman, I was culture shocked because I could not find my place at the University of Arizona. Still, Veronica helped me get involved in Eller and introduced me to many amazing people. Veronica has exposed me to numerous opportunities that have benefited my academic and professional career. I know I speak for many when I say she is one of the best staff members at the Eller College. Any student would be extremely lucky to cross paths with her!

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Teach a marketing class in college at a later point in my career!
2. Get the title of Marketing Director for a non-profit organization.

What are your hobbies? I enjoy playing soccer, listening to music, and drawing landscapes! I am taking an online course that teaches graphic design and how to use Adobe products!

What made Carlos such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2023?

“Carlos Armando Alvarez-Macias is the “complete package”. Through his Eller experience, he was clearly able to grow in all desirable dimensions of a business professional. Not only did Carlos consistently demonstrate competence in all of his classes, but he also took advantage of multiple types of extra-curriculum activities and University roles to evolve as a professional and human being. He is intelligent, charismatic, caring, ambitious, and is always open to a lifelong learning approach. I personally invited Carlos to become part of my team of preceptors because he stood out as a student and for his passion for Marketing. As a member of my team of preceptors, Carlos demonstrated admirable work ethics and maturity. He was also excited about helping students and contributing with their growth and success, always ready to provide assistance, guide them in the development of their project, and help them with constructive feedback. Additionally, Carlos assisted me with class management in quizzes and exams in a context of classes with more than 200 students, always being on time and demonstrating a service-oriented approach. His dedication for helping his peers and other students make him stand out in our community. I highly recommend Carlos to be one of the 2023 Best-and Brightest Undergraduate Business Majors because of his integrity, passion for helping students, willingness to contribute to the community, and for his diversity and inclusion commitment. Carlos is the personification of Eller excellence!”

Dr. Lilian M. S. Almeida
Lecturer in Marketing

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