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Alumnus Quentin Hernandez ’18/’24 Finds His Footing in the U.S.
09/09/2024 3:54 pm
By Sara Myers-Hogshead, Digital Media & Communications Specialist
Rockford University MBA (Master of Business Administration) Alumnus Quentin Hernandez came to the U.S. to get his bachelor’s degree first in 2018.
Hernandez was recruited to attend RU by a former basketball coach. The opportunity was very appealing to him because, in his home country of France, he could not attend college and play basketball simultaneously. Hernandez studied Computer Science Management with a minor in Business Administration
“I really got to experience the honeymoon phase when I first came in 2018,” he said. “Everything is amazing, you love the food and it’s a dream coming true. A few months later, you get to notice the differences and you get to see that it’s not as perfect as you wish it was.”
He adds that he was able to make great friends and get lots of support through this time. He ended up sticking it out, and realizing that there are a lot of differences but that they aren’t good or bad, he said.
After graduating with his bachelor’s in fall 2021, Hernandez returned home to France and worked briefly with Airbus Helicopter as a data analyst. In the fall of 2022, he returned to RU to get his MBA in Finance.
“I came back for my master’s for multiple reasons. I was working in France after graduating with my bachelor’s degree. I moved back and found a job. I wanted to get a master’s degree, and I liked my experience of moving to a new country. I got the chance when I was contacted by the Office of Global Affairs. RU offered me a graduate assistantship.”
When Hernandez came back to RU to get his MBA, he learned about the complex admission process for international students as he worked alongside Executive Director of Global Affairs Maria Diemer, Associate Director of Global Affairs Julie Griffith, Coordinator of Global Affairs/ English as a Second Language Maggie Kasicki and more.
“Global Affairs was an amazing experience,” he said. “First of all, it’s an amazing team. Maria Diemer is a great leader, and working with Maggie, Julie, and Fred was amazing. It was an amazing thing to go to every day. It was a positive office where things were getting done and we were all helping each other out.”
One of the most memorable events for Hernandez that he helped put together was Saudi National Day. He said it was great to see Saudi students getting more involved after the COVID-19 crisis, and he loved getting to dress in traditional Saudi Arabian clothes with his friends from Saudi Arabia and the whole Global Affairs office.
During his time studying for his MBA, Hernandez had a great time getting to know his professors like Dr. Luis Romero, Chair of the PURI School of Business, Associate Professor of Economics, Business, and Accounting; and Director of the MBA Program; and Professor of Economics, Business & Accounting, and Ludwig Von Mises Chair of Economics, Masoud Moallem.
“I feel like we have such diversity among the teachers that you can more or less connect with all of them as long as you’re interested in what they teach,” he said.
Hernandez’s favorite class was the MBA capstone class, the final class he took to get his MBA.
“It was a group project and I got to have amazing people on my team, who were all from different backgrounds,” he said. “One person had experience teaching in college when he worked as an accountant. Another was an international student like me.”
His favorite moment at RU was when he graduated alongside his MBA classmates. For Hernandez, walking on the stage to receive his diploma was the final check in the box for him. Hernandez’s family came to Rockford from overseas to see him graduate which meant a lot for him, he said.
“I was working within our Office of Global Affairs, doing a good job, getting my MBA with a 4.0,” he said. “I had expected myself to accomplish all these things. Doing it with my close family and friends was something I cherish forever.”
Hernandez now works as a Data Governance Manager at Airbus Helicopter in Grand Prairie, Texas.
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This article is part of the 2023-2024 issue of Catalyst.
Message from President Fulcomer in Support of International Students
07/09/2020 4:35 pm
Dear Campus Community,
Rockford University takes pride in creating and supporting an international campus reflective of our interconnected global community. Our international students learn about our country and culture and, in turn, our American students learn about the world around them through cultural events and conversations about history, philosophy, business, education, and more. The recently announced policy by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) runs counter to our efforts to support our international students. I am supportive of the growing national effort to stop this policy and will continue to advocate for the interests of international students at Rockford University and across the country.
Sincerely,
Eric W. Fulcomer, Ph.D., President
Learning and Leading: The Path to Change Starts Here
04/06/2020 10:37 am
Altynai Erkimbekova was just a toddler when her love for learning blossomed through her mother’s efforts to teach her how to read. “I was only two years old—I can’t believe it myself,” she stated, recounting her neighbors’ tales of how she would read newspapers for fun in her hometown of Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan. This passion would eventually bring her over 10,000 miles away from home—here, to Rockford University.
As a child, Altynai struggled to find a place for herself in spite of her early advancement and precocious nature. She was unable to enroll in kindergarten because the school had run out of space, but instead of lagging behind, she endeavored to learn everything she could. “My sister is two years older than me, so she was going to school already. Every day, my mom would do homework with her, and I would do whatever my mom was saying. I completed those classes with my sister.”
When she was finally able to begin her formal education, she soared despite her sense of displacement. Since she was a practicing Christian, it was challenging for her to grow up in a mostly-Muslim community. Even so, she has always been a leader of her community, whether at school or with friends. She has lead different teams and managed projects that have changed lives of many people. Anything was possible for her, since she had the biggest support of her family and an inherent belief that she would succeed by being her best self. Her determination to get the most out of every day led to her acceptance into the International University of Central Asia (IUCA), where she was invited to join the foreign exchange program in her first year at the institution. “You need to be the best in English and in grade point average as well,” she explains. “Of course, seniors have a higher chance of being selected—and I was a freshman! I was so lucky.”
This is how Altynai first learned of Rockford University, and she felt immediately that this was an environment where she could finally find her place. She noted that in her first few days here, she could already tell how globally oriented and sensitive to culture the University is. Through various activities and events, she embraced her new campus community and found herself thriving, supported by and connected to her fellow students in a way she had never experienced before.
As someone who has continuously had to forge her own path to success, she knows first-hand that progress cannot happen on its own. After an eventful semester here, she went back to Kyrgyzstan and put even more effort into her goals, including a successful business project that employed several local seamstresses. At the same time, she worked to earn her bachelor’s degree in business administration, determined to come back to Rockford University as a graduate student.
Altynai has returned to the University and is currently studying to complete her MBA (Master of Business Administsration) with a concentration in finance. She is also working alongside the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) to help connect other students like her with the opportunities the University has to offer. Her work has led to some strong friendships, too. “OGA is my home here. I can freely talk to everyone in the office like they’re my own family.”
Following her graduation next spring, Altynai hopes to bring her experiences and knowledge from her time at Rockford University back to Kyrgyzstan. She plans to work within her community to share the empathy and determination that she has refined throughout this first chapter of her life.
When asked what advice she would give to students who, like her, come from a growing society and find themselves wanting to leave in search of a way to make a difference, she says, “You should surely go and find what your heart wants. Sometimes you have to leave your environment to be able to learn and grow, but then you should come back home ready to apply your new skills and experiences to make a difference. Don’t worry if you are not able to go abroad yet. It means you are not ready, and when you are ready, nothing can stop you from achieving your goals and dreams!”
Celebrating international cultures and cuisine at the 10th Annual International Food Festival
04/17/2018 11:47 am
International students at Rockford University will prepare a wide variety of international dishes for the University’s 10th annual International Food Festival, Saturday, April 21 from 5 to 8 p.m., doors will open at 4:30 p.m., in Regents Hall, 2nd floor, Burpee Center on the Rockford University Campus located at 5050 East State Street, Rockford.
Sponsored by Rockford University’s Multicultural Club and the Office of Global Affairs, the International Food Festival will feature authentic recipes from countries like Germany, Philippines, Japan, China, Sweden, Turkey, Syria, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Liberia, Mexico and Bosnia. Members from the Multicultural Club work with Sodexo professional chefs to prepare foods so that visitors can taste home cooked meals from their countries. International entertainment is also planned and includes traditional songs and dances from the international community. Rockford University is currently home to more than 114 international students representing 26 countries.
Date:
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Time:
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Cost:
Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door for adults. Children are $5 in advance, $6 at the door. Contact globalaffairs@rockford.edu or call 815-394-5112 for tickets or more information.
Where: Regents Hall, Burpee Center, Rockford University, 5050 East State Street
