IDP Student Profiles
Business Administration
You can learn the theory of business anywhere, but the IDPs teach you the practice of business. That has made the difference for me. The Business Administration program is like an M.B.A., only much shorter. Now I'm looking forward to using my knowledge in an internship."
Esin Gunata has worked in finance, commercial advertising, and accounting. She has a bachelor's degree in international relations from Koç University in Istanbul, Turkey. After completing her IDP studies in Business Administration with an internship, Esin will return to Turkey to share her knowledge of global business with her family's automotive manufacturing business.
Finance
The IDP has helped me explore new possibilities for a career in finance. One of the best things about the IDP is the diversity of the students. We are all from different cultures. We have had different life experiences and we are different ages, but we can successfully collaborate on projects and work in teams. This is important in global business."
Virginia Gimenez earned her bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Buenos Aires. A native of Argentina, Virginia began her career in the travel industry in accounting and finance. After she completes the IDP in Finance at UC Berkeley Extension, Virginia plans to work as a financial analyst for a hedge fund company.
International Business
I believe this experience will give me an advantage in my career. My communication skills improved in the International Business IDP. I got a lot of experience negotiating with people from different cultures."
Vladimir Kudyakov has a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Moscow State Technical University, and he came to California to learn about the business side of mechanical engineering. He earned an M.B.A. in international business at Lincoln University. After completing the IDP in International Business and participating in an internship, Vladimir will seek a position with a global investment firm in Moscow.
Marketing
I chose the International Diploma Programs to learn more about marketing so that my business can expand successfully to new cities in India. I want to make my company the market leader in India and I will use what I've learned in the Marketing IDP to help me do that."
Russell Zaheer received his bachelor's degree in accounting from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India. After graduating, Russell worked as an accountant for his family's education company, where his interest in marketing and sales grew. Russell will return to India to direct the marketing and sales efforts for his family's business.
Project Management
I am particularly interested in quality management and process improvement. The Project Management program gave me a chance to learn how to manage people and processes. The interactive style of the courses made me feel confident that I can lead and direct a successful project in a real work situation. I look forward to applying my new skills at my next job."
Élodie François was born in Paris and raised in Martinique, where her family now resides. She studied human resources management at the University of Marne Lavallee in Paris and has a master's apprenticeship degree in business management from E.S.A.M., Paris. After the IDP, Élodie will continue her career in human resources and pursue a position as a career management counselor.
The Internship Program
The IDPs provided me with a nice opportunity to bring my experience to the study of marketing. Then I combined this knowledge with my internship at a famous company. The internship helped me put my previous experience and my marketing program to good use."
Rawi-Suda Nontanakorn worked for a shipping company in Bangkok, Thailand. She received a bachelor's degree in international transportation management from Thammasat University and a master's degree in international management from Portland State University. Rawi-Suda completed the IDP before beginning her internship at Shaklee Corporation in Pleasanton, California.
As a software engineer, I had no background in business management. The IDP helped me learn the subjects related to management in a very short period of time. Then I could apply what I learned about import/export operations to my internship at Mid-America Overseas (MAO)."
Ashish Gupta is from India, where he received his B.S. in computer science engineering and worked as a software engineer at Infosys Technologies. After completing his internship, Ashish returned to India and started his own import/export business.
After taking some marketing classes in Italy, I decided I wanted to learn more. The IDP in marketing was a great opportunity to improve my knowledge. I did assignments that helped me apply marketing theories, and I learned how to work in teams. The IDP and Internship Program also introduced me to people from around the world who will be my friends for all my life."
Francesca Cova studied interpreting and communications at the University of Modern Languages in Milan, Italy, before attending the IDP and the Internship Program. After returning to Italy, Francesca enrolled in a master's degree program in corporate communication and event management at Bocconi University. Francesca also plans to attend a marketing training program in the European food industry.
The Management and Business Track
The MBT program has taught me the American business style and has allowed me to improve my managerial skills within a multicultural environment. Studying in the U.S. provided an overview of business management and helped me understand foreign cultures. I have improved the cross-cultural communication skills that are so important in the business world."
Leonor Miralles-Willebrands was born in Spain and raised in Switzerland. She has an M.S. in international relations from ALITER International Business School and a bachelor's degree in law from the Universidad Europea de Madrid. Leonor developed skills in international marketing, legal consultancy, quality management, and human resources through her work in law and engineering firms. She is currently working at the Bay Area World Trade Center as part of the Internship Program.
I came to the International Diploma Program to expand my career. In the global marketplace, the United States is important. I also wanted to be in California, and Berkeley is very famous. My company gave me one year to study abroad. The MBT was the best way to spend this time because you learn so much in only four months. Because I already have a lot of work experience, I used my year to complete three academic programs: Business Administration, Project Management, and Finance. My company made a good investment because I will be able to apply what I learned quickly and directly. My IDP experience will be a big part of my success."
Byoungjik Park has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Seoul National University and has worked for Korea's largest steel company, POSCO, for nine years. Byoungjik will return to POSCO in Korea with extensive knowledge of project management and human resources development.