Billy Micard

University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business

“I am someone whose ambition knows no bounds when it comes to achieving my goals.”

Fun fact about yourself: I was born with 12 fingers, but had the extra digits removed.

Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida

High School: Fort Myers High School

Major: Finance

Minor: Real estate

Favorite Business Course: Real estate private equity

Where have you interned during your college career?

Where will you be working after graduation? To be determined

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson that I gained from studying business is seeing that, in a way, business is an extension of people and our society. I feel like business is a microcosm of the world in the sense that many principles of business transcend the subject and can be applied to so many things in life.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Find clubs or experiences that can give you a genuine day-in-the-life kind of demonstration of a job within your major of interest and really reflect on if it aligns with you and your interests.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? It would be the number of people in business who never planned on majoring in it who are so skilled in non-business subjects.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? Looking back, I wish I would have made friends with more people in my major or in the business school in general. The world runs on connections and it’s crucial to start building relationships early on. You never know who your partner on a deal 5, 10 years down the line could be.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? My proudest personal achievement is getting into Notre Dame. Notre Dame has been my dream school since I was a young boy and it had always been a dream, but to have it come true has meant the world to me. Notre Dame has opened up a plethora of opportunities that I would not have been exposed to otherwise.

Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate that I admire the most is my friend, Bobby Fitzpatrick. He is passionate about helping others and treats others with kindness and patience. He inspires me to be a better person.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would most want to thank my father for my success because he brought my sister and I to the United States from Haiti when we were 9 and 7, respectively. My father wanted a better life for us and always encouraged us to work hard in school. My dad works in construction and is out there in the hot Florida sun day in and day out just to make sure that our family is taken care of. I am so grateful for all he has done for me and without him, I would not be where I am today.

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

1. I want to start my own real estate private equity fund
2. I want to run or establish a non-profit dedicated to helping the Haitian community integrate well into American society through programs that teach English and provide a path for children to go to college

What made Billy such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2024?

“Billy is a valuable member of the Balfour Program, a nearly 40-year-old program designed to promote the intellectual engagement, leadership, and commitment to service among a highly motivated group of students, most of whom are first-generation and low income. Normally, incoming first-year Balfour Scholars participate in a four-week Summer Institute on campus, an academic immersion experience during which scholars take courses to help in their transition to university life and begin forming a supportive learning community among their peers. In summer 2020, because of the COVID pandemic, Billy and his cohort participated in the Summer Institute online. Social interaction was quite limited, so building community was challenging. Over the subsequent years, however, Billy has often taken the lead in nurturing his cohort and the Balfour community overall by initiating activities to bring students together. He is a constant, welcoming presence in our Balfour spaces, always willing to mentor younger Balfour Scholars as they navigate courses, discern majors, and consider myriad options for internships, study abroad, and other opportunities. Billy extends his generosity not just to Balfour Scholars, but to his Notre Dame peers overall – the reason he was recognized with a student leadership award last year, which the Office of Student Affairs confers to those who best exemplify the University’s spirit.

Billy is devoted to learning about topics in business and beyond. That he has pursued study abroad in South Africa and Brazil demonstrates his openness to experiencing and understanding other cultures. When Billy often pops into my office to say hello, we have engaging conversations about national and global issues. These conversations reflect Billy’s intellectual agility and willingness to expand his education beyond curricular requirements. He continually strives to grow academically and professionally, as well as personally; he inspires others to do the same. Billy is an exceptional role model for Balfour Scholars and others. He represents the best and brightest of Mendoza students, and well-deserves the Poets and Quants honor.”

Cecilia Lucero, Ph.D.
Director of the Balfour-Hesburgh Scholars Program

DON’T MISS: 100 BEST & BRIGHTEST UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS MAJORS OF 2024