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Entrepreneurship or Academic Achievement

by Jeff Zbar

Dec 28, 2018, 7:00 AM.

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Why choose when you can have both?

You can run a business and pursue a degree at the same time. Javier A. Sales Rosado is a prime example of that. He arrived as an international exchange student at Florida International University in the fall of 2015 with three goals: to advance his degree in finance, enjoy Miami’s multinational, cosmopolitan culture, and grow his young business back home in Mexico. His solution: online courses through FIU Online.

Courses Anytime, Anywhere

Javier’s course load included three traditional classroom courses, an online course in managerial communications, and a blended online/in-class course in leadership. The combination of in-class and online courses gave him the flexibility to focus on coursework, meet and network with American and international students, and the time needed to nurture his medical device company.

Javier’s own story mirrors that of many college entrepreneurs who hope to complete a degree, but not at the expense of building their career or even a business. Online programs offer the flexibility many working professionals need in their schedules, allowing them to mix traditional classroom learning with online courses to meet the demands of their dynamic lifestyles.

International Feel

A frequent visitor to Miami, Javier chose FIU for its variety of face-to-face and online courses that suited both his business major and accounting and finance specialization. FIU also represented the multinational culture he sought, attracting students from throughout the Americas and around the world.

Additionally, FIU met his financial requirements. Its relationship with Javier’s university, Universidad Anahuac Mayab in his hometown of Merida in the Mexican state of Yucatan, meant his scholarship there covered his FIU tuition. In fact, Javier was a dual-online enrollee, taking online classes through his business program at Universidad Anahuac Mayab, while enrolled at FIU.

Discipline is Key

Comfortable with the online platform, Javier made short work of the virtual classroom setting. Yet, he also watched how other students approached their online education. Some students were diligent. Others waited until the last minute to watch lectures, turn in assignments, participate in online discussions or prepare for exams. Their grades suffered, he recalled.

“It’s a lot about discipline,” he said, from his office back in Merida.

Javier prioritized his workload and noted deadlines in his calendar, often, several days before due-dates. By better managing his time, he was able to meet his deadlines while working on his business, and even incorporated time to mingle with new friends in South Florida.

The online model of interacting with professors and collaborating with fellow students helped prepare him for a future working virtually with customers, prospects, and suppliers across Mexico and around the world. It wasn’t lost on Javier that his online courses—including managerial communications and leadership—seemed aligned with online business in the 21st century.

FIU Online, he said, “opened new possibilities for how I learn.” 

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