“Commitment, focus on results, team spirit and believing that anything is possible no matter where you come from, what race you are and origin you have -- if you believe in yourself, you can do it,” remarked Alex Carreteiro, a former international student and Fox School of Business alumnus, as he reflected on his past experiences at Temple University.

Carreteiro, originally from Brazil, graduated with a degree in Finance and International Business in 1999. While attending Temple, he was actively involved in the International Business Association as the vice president, and a varsity member of the tennis team. After graduating less than ten years ago, Carreteiro is now the general manager of Nestle Waters in Portugal.

Carreteiro contributes much of his success to the influential people he met, and the education and experiences he received at Temple. He also remarked on the support and counsel he received from Temple’s Center for Student Professional Development (CSPD). “I found my first internship and job through CSPD. It’s a great link from student life to professional life.”

Since receiving his master’s degree in Finance at The Université Paris IX Dauphine in France, he has worked for companies including AmeriGas in the U.S, Danone (also known as Dannon in the U.S.) and Nestle. Carreteiro is fluent in four languages and has had the opportunity to work on every continent in the world. “Temple launched me into a truly global career. It’s true that my four languages helped, but the education at Temple was a great asset,” Carreteiro commented.

Kathleen Davis, J.D., Assistant Professor of Human Resources Management, was the director of the CSPD at the time of Carreteiro’s enrollment and commented, “Alex was always thoughtful, very smart and well mannered.” At the CSPD, Davis provided Carreteiro with help with his resume and advice on job seeking and interviewing.

“Professor Davis had a passion for being there for students, for listening to their wishes and giving straightforward advice. She is the type of person that gets the best out of people and gives them extra motivation and confidence that they might not have had when they first came to CSPD,” Carreteiro said.

While Carreteiro attended school, he encountered some of the same problems that most students face: deciding on what interested him the most and finding a major that enabled him to pursue those interests. Carreteiro credits his former professor, Dr. Jonathan Scott, as an instrumental part in his choice to pursue a career in finance.

“Alex was in two of my courses, and I remember at the time how impressed I was with his dedication to his academic work by taking a full load of credits, and his commitment to the tennis team,” Scott said. “We talked quite a bit after the first course about finance and potential career paths.”

Carreteiro recognizes how the friendships he made, the professors he met, the staff and many others at Temple made a significant impact on his career and life. He recommends that students prepare themselves by learning foreign languages and by taking an interest in other cultures and international classes, such as finance, marketing and law.

“Being a foreigner studying in the U.S., being a student athlete and having high standards for studies were challenges. Combining them all was even more of a challenge, but Temple provided the support and the excitement to make my experience an unforgettable one,” he added.