International business student attends prestigious conference in chicago
During his time at VCU, international student Muathe Al Rowaily has pursued a variety of prestigious and exciting opportunities. Initially, Muathe was drawn to VCU for its reputation, which he describes as one that “embraces diversity and inclusion throughout its curriculum.” Since then, he has become involved with several on-campus organizations and programs, such as the Honors College, Student Managed Investment Portfolio, and Financial Management Association, as well as serving as a Teaching Assistant. He explains that these experiences have allowed him to discover new interests and expand his worldview.
In particular, Muathe has found the environment of the VCU School of Business to be “multicultural and friendly, yet fiercely competitive.” As a Finance major with a minor in Economics, Muathe has been able to find numerous internships and solidify his business background, allowing him to connect classroom concepts to real-world practices.
Beyond that, Muathe’s achievements have far exceeded the walls of VCU. In April 2018, he participated in the McKinsey North America Edad program in Chicago. This highly-selective conference is held in cities across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East for Arabic-speaking student leaders. Edad helps students to develop professional skills while building their careers.
Moreover, Muathe feels honored to have represented VCU at the conference and to follow in his father’s footsteps, who is currently serving as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Mexico. Muathe hopes that by participating in the McKinsey Edad program, he will “have a positive impact on the future of the Middle East.”
Throughout his life, Muathe has traveled the world. He was born in Madrid and later lived in Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and Mexico. Reflecting on these experiences, he states that his travels have enabled him “to become culturally competent.” His continual enthusiasm to expand his horizons and learn “diverse skills” continued in the summer of 2018 when he traveled to Mexico and Costa Rica.
Muathe plans to take all of his valuable knowledge and experiences with him into his future career. Since childhood, he has been “captivated by entrepreneurship” and now dreams of having his own asset management company. While he knows the road ahead will be difficult, he states, “my experience in the Honors College [has] taught me to embrace challenges and use [them] as an opportunity for growth.”
Despite his numerous accolades, Muathe remains humble. He notes the support of his family, friends, and professors, in particular Professor Jennifer Selman, whom he worked for as a TA and describes as “the most charismatic and inquisitive professor at VCU.” Furthermore, he states that Prof. Selman boosted his self-confidence, which, in turn, helped to him take on his many leadership roles.
Muathe’s determination and numerous achievements are certainly admirable, and the School of Business and Honors College wish him luck with his future aspirations.
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