Summer Class Inspires Entrepreneurship Club Members Murillo, Vindas

A summer academic course on entrepreneurial development at one of Mexico's most prestigious universities, Universidad Iberoamericana, has University of the Ozarks students Eduardo Murillo and Nataly Vindas fired up for the upcoming academic year.

Murillo and Vindas, both Walton International Scholars from Costa Rica, complete the six-week course in Mexico City in late June. The course focused on increasing networking opportunities and enhancing entrepreneurial skills.

The two students are both executive members of the University's Entrepreneurship Club and are excited to share what they learned with their classmates and fellow club members.

"The comprehensive knowledge and insights I acquired are invaluable resources that I intend to apply to both my personal and professional career," said Murillo, a senior management and psychology major. "This experience has equipped me with innovative strategies and perspectives that I plan to implement in my role as an executive member of the Entrepreneurship Club. The skills and understanding gained from this course will definitely contribute to my growth and the continued success of our organization."

Vindas, a junior finance and marketing major, said the experience not only enhanced her academically and professionally, but also personally and culturally.

"In the classroom, I gained practical insights and advice on starting a sustainable business, which really brought to life the theoretical knowledge I learned at Ozarks," she said. "The importance of teamwork, especially in a business setting, was greatly emphasized, and I got to experience the ups and downs of working in a multicultural team. I also worked on my public speaking skills, although I did manage to embarrass myself a couple of times along the way."

"Navigating such a big city as Mexico City was also a significant challenge that tested my independence and emotional resilience, and such a challenge helped me grow significantly and learn a lot about myself. Culturally, the experience was equally enriching. I enjoyed trying delicious local meals, visiting cultural places, and meeting incredible and kind people who made me feel at home even though I was far from Costa Rica."

Murillo said one idea he would like to implement immediately with the Entrepreneurship Club is a "startup challenge."

"This will allow students to pitch a business plan to a panel of judges," he said. "This is precisely what we had to do for our final project in our summer course, so we are excited about leading this initiative at Ozarks along with our executive teammates."

Both students received funding from the University's Student Enrichment Fund to take part in the summer class.

"I'm deeply grateful to the Student Enrichment Funds committee for making this experience possible," Vindas said.

Topics: Management, Marketing, Student Stories