Beverly Pragosa ’20, International Business Major
Tell me about some of the things you are involved with at Arcadia.
In my three years since starting at Arcadia, I’ve been part of New Student Orientation (NSO) as an orientation leader; SABA, which is Arcadia’s business club; ABC, which stands for Arcadia for a Better Community; and Arcadia’s environmental club. Some of my favorites include Knight Club and Puro Ritmo, as I really enjoy dancing. We used to have a finance club, which I was an active member of. I also have worked in the Castle in the Office of Enrollment Management.
Everything here has been really fun. I met a lot of people through joining clubs and working at Arcadia, and I’ve developed great relationships with my bosses and professors.
You also made time to study abroad in Australia—what was it like?
Australia was the farthest place that I had ever traveled in my entire life. It was also the longest I had ever been away from my family. It definitely helped me grow as a person, helping me learn to be independent and explore on my own. You grow differently when you are doing things by yourself; it pushes you to test your limits. And not being an hour-and-a-half car ride away from my home, like I am here at Arcadia, really put things into perspective for me. As a result of my experience abroad, I am now taking part in a research study for my advisor through Arcadia’s School of Global Business, conducting international business and culture research to find out more about what draws people to International Business as a major, and how we can retain these students.
You are set to graduate from Arcadia a semester early—who or what has been your biggest influence?
I have had a lot of great teachers. I had two AP professors in high school that pushed me to do my best. I still email them today, and it is encouraging that they believed in me then and still do now. It’s helped me see my own potential. Also, my dad has had a huge impact on me. He came to America with very little, and now has his own business, which keeps growing. In the future, I would love to help him out with his company, but I would like to do my own thing for a little bit at first. Regardless, he has always pushed me to do my best. Lastly, I think I, myself, have always had a strong internal drive to start my own life, put my all into everything I do, and get money!
What are your plans for once you graduate?
Throughout my collegiate career, I have been attending every networking and business event that Arcadia has hosted—anything possible to get my feet wet and my foot in the door. I was really stuck on finding an internship for a while, thinking that would be the best way for me to obtain a job. I finally got an internship with an international marketing company in Manayunk, where I will be able to work closely with business professionals to design ways to increase the company’s visibility and widen the identity of their brand. This internship was also offered with a promise of full-time employment for after I graduate. I will be starting in June! I had to overload on taking courses this semester in order to graduate early, but so far everything has been going well, and I cannot wait to see where life takes me from here.
