Launching an Accounting Career With International Perspective
Ruben Irizarry
Trust Solutions Senior Associate, PwC
Class of 2019
BBA in Public Accounting
Member Of: Beta Gamma Sigma
Meet Ruben Irizarry, a senior majoring in Public Accounting, who before enrolling in the International Field Study course to Argentina and Chile had never traveled outside of the United States. Ruben has had amazing internships including Goldman Sachs and PwC, and he says that Career Services was instrumental in helping him to land these professional opportunities. We talked to Ruben about his study abroad experience in South America and what he learned there.
Why did you choose Pace University and the Lubin School of Business?
The location the New York City campus and the resiliency and determination of our professors to ensure their students are acquiring internships and placing themselves in a favorable position to obtain a full-time job right after college, is why I chose Pace and Lubin.
Tell us a bit about your study abroad experience in South America.
My study abroad experiences in Argentina and Chile were very rewarding experiences. In both countries, we were able to observe how different businesses function similarly or differently than those of the United States. Additionally, we were able to better understand each country's reasoning for making some of their business decisions and see the motives and personalities of each professional in big name companies. My absolute favorite part of the course was visiting the Banco Central de la Repéblica Argentina (BCRA).
The food in each country was some of the best I have ever had, from the steak in Argentina to the loaded hot dogs with guacamole, onions, tomatoes, and more. I was even tempted at one point to order two steaks while eating in a restaurant!
Lastly, seeing the different struggles of each country was an eye-opening experience. It helped us further appreciate the life that we live. From the city infrastructures that we take for granted, to actually seeing the discrepancies in wages from family to family, you will definitely open your eyes and come to appreciate more and more the life that you live.
"The determination of our professors to ensure their students are acquiring internships and placing themselves in a favorable position to obtain a full-time job right after college, is why I chose Pace and Lubin."
How will you apply what you learned in South America to the rest of your career? What comes next?
I will be sure to take this experience wherever I go and build connections with those who have also studied abroad. Having participated in these experiences gives me a strong leg up in any opportunity I pursue on because I will better understand that there are two parts to each and every story. I hope to continue traveling to many, many more countries.
What motivates you to work hard?
Understanding that there is so much more to life. There is so much that we don't know and we continuously strive to become more knowledgeable. This enables us to better understand the world that we live in. It helps make each and every person more dynamic. What does #LubinLife mean to you?
#LubinLife means success in the simplest terms. It puts us in a better position to be able to travel the world and gain a leg up on our competition. I cannot picture another school that offers the opportunities that Pace offers.