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One could say that student Leticia Nunez Nova’s path to business was predestined. Genetic, even.

Her maternal grandfather owned numerous businesses around the Dominican Republic—from real estate to auto shops to hardware stores—and her paternal grandmother used business to support her family after her husband’s passing.

“I grew up hearing these stories about how entrepreneurship has helped people out of difficult situations,” she said. Nunez Nova is studying business at George Mason �鶹���� with concentrations in marketing and business analytics. “I was inspired. I wanted to build something from scratch myself.”

Nunez Nova’s desire to nurture a business from the ground up paved the way for a series of internships with start-up companies. In her freshman year, she landed a position with the (CIE) in the . Her work included supporting the SOAR Initiative for aspiring entrepreneurs and the student venture program The Depot, which she said helped create a strong foundation for her future career.

“Supporting student entrepreneurship and the local business ecosystem aligned with my reasons for studying business,” she said.

Her work at CIE became a foundational experience. “CIE associate director Crystal Fickers helped me build core soft and technical skills, and CIE director of operations and engagement Rebecca Howick taught me how to use kindness strategically to help others and manage challenges in the workplace,” she said.

That interest in local businesses continued with her second and third internships. While continuing her work with the CIE, Nunez Nova worked for the start-up company HomeCook, a platform to connect commercial kitchen owners with food entrepreneurs. Then, she interned with WISE Cities LLC, a student-up developing an app to encourage senior community engagement, social participation, and physical activity with citizens over the age of 65.

Now, she’s trying something a little different: gaining experience working for growing telecommunications start-up Raycom. She’s learning the intricacies of office culture and procedures, something that she says is perhaps the most valuable for students to learn.

“Those basic workplace skills are transferable,” she said. “Working in an office is a unique experience, and it will give you an edge if you can say you’ve done it and done it well.”

While each internship has given her the opportunity to grow in unique skills, all of them have built onto the foundation she’s gained from her classes at George Mason.

“I learn by doing, so I think it’s so important that you apply whatever you’re learning in the classroom. It helps you understand the reality of the world that you’ll be going into once you graduate,” she said. “It gives you the chance to determine if this is really the path you want.”

Nunez Nova will graduate in spring 2025. She hopes her future continues to be one of discovery and exploration while pursuing her goal of making an impact.

“The more I explore, the more I learn, and the more I find to love about marketing,” she said. “I want to work in a place where I really believe in the mission.”
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