Bernardo Játiva, '15
Bernardo Játiva, ’15, an economics major with a concentration in international business, first heard of University of Richmond at a college fair in Paris, France. “As I was leaving the fair, I saw the Richmond table near the exit. It was then I had the privilege of befriending admissions counselor Marilyn Hesser, whose warmth of character encouraged me to further explore the University.”
Játiva, a Richmond Scholar, shared, “Ultimately, it was a scholar’s visit to campus that solidified my decision to come to Richmond. After developing quick bonds with the other scholar candidates, I got my first taste of the business school curriculum when I attended Dr. Wight’s first year seminar on morality and the financial crisis and overenthusiastically participated in the discussion.”
The son of a diplomat, Játiva has lived in Ecuador, Sweden and France. “My experience has been characterized by travel and cultural discovery thanks to my father’s profession. Understanding the historical, political and social particularities of different cultures has given me insights into the lifestyles and decision-making processes of those cultures and has allowed me to better understand the complexity of people. I was able to continue my international education by coming to the U.S.”
An accomplished student Játiva was awarded the Robins School Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Award during last month’s Beta Gamma Sigma Induction Ceremony and Honors Convocation. “My immediate reaction upon receiving the award was of pure surprise. I was under the impression I was attending the ceremony solely to be inducted. It was an unexpected and humbling joy to accept the award, and it represents the positive guidance and support I’ve received from classmates, faculty and staff. I’ll always cherish the award, and I will remain dedicated to the Robins School long after I’ve left.”
After four years in Richmond, he looked back on his time at the Robins School. “Some of the most enriching experiences I’ve had were client projects. This year I was part of a student consulting team under the direction of Dr. Whitaker that presented an information governance (IG) strategy and enterprise content management (ECM) migration plan to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s senior executives. It was very stimulating to conceive a management framework, and we were able to generate significant cost savings while mitigating compliance risks.”
He added, “Another project was in Professor Hiller’s Doing Business in Latin America course. We developed market segmentation and entry strategies for Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica and Ecuador in the commercial and residential segments of the framing and hospitality industry for a decorative arts client. We assessed attractiveness and risk factors for the Latin American markets, researched potential art buyers and coordinated primary market research with the Technological Institute of Monterrey, a partner school in Mexico. Both projects gave me a great sense of real-world work experiences.”
In the fall Játiva will begin his career in strategic consulting and competitive intelligence with Blueframe Group, a boutique firm in Washington D.C. He plans to achieve success by “delivering value-added impact to my company, cultivating personal relationships with coworkers and assisting fellow Spiders in any way possible with the job search process. In the long-term I look forward to connecting interests with purpose and aspirations to enrich my life and work.”
Photo by Tim Stirling (left to right): Játiva, James Lewek, '15, and Thomas Játiva, '17, at the Senior Wine & Cheese Celebration