ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

Isabella Simpson is a Class of 2027 Finance and Mathematics major from Lewisville, TX.

Why did you choose to attend the Cox School of Business at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½?
While reflecting on the key takeaways of my high school experiences in both my extracurriculars and academics I made the decision to major in Finance and Mathematics. Being from North Texas, I have watched the Dallas economy grow exponentially over the past ten years. Due to the prime location of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, I knew attending Cox would not only provide a great education with the ability to double major, but also the career opportunities, alumni network, and internship experience I would need to be successful in finance.

What led to your decision to study abroad?
Personally, studying abroad has always been a priority in my college decisions. As a finance major, I knew I would need internship experience and Cox offered the unique opportunity to have an internship abroad during the summer. During my freshman year, being part of the Career Accelerator Program, I was highly encouraged by career coaches and mentors to consider an internship abroad. In addition, I knew studying abroad would provide a unique experience and perspective.

Tell us about your study abroad experience – where did you go? What was your internship while you were there?
I studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain for nine weeks. While in Barcelona, I worked as a purchase and pricing intern for La Maison Barcelona, a luxury home goods store. The internship included actualizing prices of older products according to their current cost, reviewing inventory, creating references in a point of sale system, and receiving delivery orders. In terms of cultural impact, I had the opportunity to converse with my coworkers and employers who introduced me to traditional Spanish lunches and taught me more of Spanish culture.

What did you learn during the study abroad internship experience, and how has that affected the way you think about your post-graduation path now?
Professionally, the primary skills I learned working at La Maison were organization and attention to detail. Creating hundreds of references over the summer with multiple steps and documents needed in each reference taught me how to organize my workspace and order tasks so I could be most efficient for the company. In my work since returning from my internship, I have noticed a new patience and skill for tedious work, which I will utilize throughout my college career and postgraduate path. Furthermore, as an intern I was always encouraged to ask questions and my coworkers did an excellent job of welcoming me. The people I worked with played a large part in my positive experience. As I continue to think about my postgraduate path, a large takeaway I had from my experience was the importance of company culture.

How did ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Cox support you in this experience?
During my experience abroad, despite being in another country, I felt truly supported by ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and the Cox School of Business. Cox made it a priority to have ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ students in the same housing so we would never truly be alone. My most valuable memories stem from having the opportunity to live with nine other Cox students, who served as family throughout the trip. ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Cox also funded a weekend trip for us to explore the Dalí Museum and other historical sites in Spain which was an amazing cultural and bonding experience. Throughout the trip we had biweekly meetings with the partnering Spanish institution who ensured the internships were fulfilling and impactful. In addition, during the trip the Dean and Associate Dean visited us at our internships and took the Cox students to dinner to ensure our experience was going well.

What advice do you have for prospective students who are in the middle of their college search? How would you encourage them to think about study abroad as a potential business student?
My advice for any prospective student is to really consider what they want out of their college education. Narrowing down a list of priorities and ensuring the college they are attending will meet those priorities is crucial to having a successful college experience. As a business student, I would encourage students to consider their potential career paths according to their major, and think about how study abroad could fit into their academic and professional career. For example, I knew I wanted to study abroad for cultural experience, but I also knew as a finance and math double major a summer program would make the most sense for my academic and career goals.