Name: Shyra Coll
Age: 25
High School: Public School in Washington (United States)
Degree Program: Bachelor's Degree in International Studies
Year of graduation: 2005
Job Title: External Relations Manager, Product Department at Lolita
Interview published in May 2007.
From 1998 to 2000, she lived and studied in the United States. In 2000, she returned to Uruguay. In 2001, she began pursuing a bachelor’s degree in International Studies at ORT University. In 2005, she graduated and began working at Lolita.
According to Shyra, she had always been interested in politics, and when she arrived in Uruguay, she looked into what she could study. “I went online; that’s where I found out about an information session on the Bachelor’s degree in International Studies. I attended, and I thought the program sounded great.” From that moment on, it was clear to her that the program covered many areas she was interested in. "I was drawn to the fact that it wasn’t a program that would pigeonhole me, but rather one that opened up a wide range of professional options. The program is multidisciplinary, and I found that very appealing."
She acknowledged that she initially chose the program because she was drawn to the diplomatic aspect, but as she progressed through her studies, she became increasingly interested in its business focus. Furthermore, “I felt that the program was well-structured, and as I moved forward, semester by semester, I began to see the value in it.”
In 2005, she graduated and began working at Lolita. "I work in the Product Department; I handle all relations with overseas suppliers. I apply a lot of knowledge related to international trade; it’s essential to study the markets where we have franchises and understand that certain goods won’t be able to enter due to specific barriers (tariff or otherwise).” In her daily work, Shyra applies many tools from her degree. “Consciously or not, you’re putting marketing and negotiation concepts into practice; I’m constantly negotiating prices and payment terms.”
"I'm happy with my job placement and with this particular career path, because I feel it has given me the tools I need to perform various tasks effectively. I feel motivated at work because I get to do new things every day; plus, I've become more involved in decision-making, which is great—it really motivates you."
Likewise, in the long term, he hopes to explore other paths where he can develop other aspects of his profession. "Obviously, given the nature of my work, there are parts of the career path that are off-limits to me; the more political and diplomatic aspects aren't really relevant to me, at least not directly or on a daily basis." "At some point, I'd like to work for an international organization or at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
He plans to continue his studies in the future, so he is considering pursuing a graduate degree.