Rodolfo and Paula Gioscia, Simón and Lorena Pilosof, and Jorge and Nicolás Otero explained what motivated them to make this decision, shared their experiences as students, and discussed how family influences the choice of what to study.
Rodolfo and Paula Gioscia
When Rodolfo Gioscia—CEO of Manos del Uruguay, a graduate of ORT’s Bachelor’s in Management and Administration program and MBA program, and a professor specializing in family businesses at the university—learned what major his daughter would pursue, he felt happy and proud.
“First of all, because I know what the Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Administration. Second, beyond the specific degree program, because I know the quality of Universidad ORT Uruguay.”
For her part, Paula Gioscia—a senior in the program—believes that her decision was influenced by her father’s career path.
I have no doubt that he managed to convey his passion for his work to me . He always highly recommended ORT’s Bachelor’s Degree in Management to me. I remember that at first I didn’t really understand what it meant to be a manager, but as I grew older, I began to see the great responsibility he carried, the challenges he faced, and also the satisfaction that came from teamachievements .
Her father added, “I think my daughter saw what I did, how I lived it, and saw that I’m happy working and having completed the program at ORT, which helped my job performance. It’s something that develops within the family.”
Paula also mentioned that they had a couple of professors in common and that she shares with him the knowledge she’s gained during her studies. “I always tell him about my classes, what I think of the topics, and what interests me most. Since he’s a professor at the university, he’s very connected to the institution, and that’s great for these conversations—he gives me his perspective as a teacher as well as his student’s as a parent and manager.”
Rodolfo added, “Many subjects involve new knowledge and the use of technology in data processing. It surprises me to see how my daughter knows things that I don’t know—or at least never studied.”
Simón and Lorena Pilosof
Lorena Pilosof is a senior in the Bachelor of Science in Management and Administration program. When she decided to pursue this degree, her father—Simón Pilosof, a graduate of the same program and a financial advisor at Citibank—recommended that she choose Universidad ORT Uruguay.
“I suggested it based on my personal experience, the international recognition and the opportunity it offered to earn a dual degree. But it was Lorena who ultimately chose to study at ORT. It wasn’t something I forced on her.”
My father always said that this career gave him the opportunity to grow professionally and opened up various paths for the future—whether in human resources, leading his own startup, or contributing to private companies, public institutions, or international organizations.
Lorena.
“In short, it would give me career flexibility like no other.”
She also mentioned that, over the course of their careers, they exchanged ideas on certain topics or approaches to their work. At that point, Lorena noticed that they were beginning to speak the same managerial language and understand each other better and better.
Simón added, “As the race went on, we discovered a shared interest in topics that mattered to both of us; often viewed from an academic perspective on his part and from a practical perspective on mine. But always enriching one another.”
“Obviously, the programs have evolved over time, and technology has advanced tremendously. But I understand that the mission —to educate and develop successful, principled, and proactive professionals capable of adapting to the changes in society over time—has remained unchanged. And in my view, that is what matters.”
Jorge and Nicolás Otero
According to Jorge Otero—president of Calmex S.A.— it was a joy to learn that his son, Nicolás Otero—a graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Management and Administration—was going to pursue the same degree program as he had at the same university.
“It was like starting over. It gave us things in common. It also helped strengthen our father-son bond. Working together became very easy, since we shared our knowledge.”
He knew that a college degree would be useful to his son, regardless of the field he chose to pursue.
Nicolás explained: “It’s no coincidence that we studied the same thing . We’ve always been very close, and we also think alike in many ways . Ever since I was a kid, he talked to me about business and strategy, and that passion rubbed off on me . When the time came, I knew that pursuing a degree in Business Management was the right path to achieving what I wanted.”
Jorge recalls that Nicolás developed an interest in business at a very early age.
These days they exchange their views on the market and, in some cases, their views differ.
“The fact that it’s now being broadcast means the quality of the talks is on a whole new level, because we can explore topics in greater depth and from different angles. By working together, we’re constantly discussing or exchanging ideas, and often what we talk about gets applied to the business,” Nicolás noted.
“My father used to tell me that this degree program is fantastic because it gives you a broad overview of a wide range of tools that are used every day in the business world—and that it’s essential to know them. Without a doubt, it’s exactly as he said.”