MORE ABOUT RAJAN
Graduation Date: May 2010
Hometown: San Jose, Costa Rica
High School: International Christian Schools, Colegio Bilingue Internacional
Rajan Braulio Menon Hidalgo
Area of Study:Business Administration and Management
I chose my major because... I have always been fascinated with business, specifically on a global perspective. I enjoy negotiating with others and communicating and engaging in situations where all parties benefit. I believe that through international business and trade, relations between countries can become better and stronger, especially benefiting its citizens who can reap the most of their governing system. Business is highly related to a country’s government and thus, the government has the ability to look after its people giving them the most benefits possible.
My favorite thing to do on campus is... go to class, talk to my professors, read, study at the library and visit the DePaul Church which brings a lot of peace to my heart and mind. I also like to go to the gym and exercise. I really like examining all that involves DePaul’s history as an educational institution, particularly its religious background and architecture. I like to visit the museum or art gallery and view the different expositions. I’m truly fascinated with all that DePaul has to offer its students, faculty and alumni. I notice that even after you graduate from DePaul, there are so many things that you can still benefit from beside the honor of the degree itself. For example, alumni can attend expositions, reunions and discussion boards. DePaul has shown me that not only is it an excellent educational institution, but also a place in which we can find relaxation. For example, its musical performances have proven to be a tranquil experience for me.
I decided to attend DePaul because... I had the opportunity to know about DePaul many years ago through its basketball team. Ever since I first heard the name something about it caught my attention. When I first came to Chicago, I couldn’t believe that DePaul was only a few blocks away from where I lived. The first time that I walked through the campus I could feel the magic this place holds within. I knew right away that it was the school I had always dreamt of attending. With God’s help and through his powerful manifestation, I was able to be admitted at DePaul. I remember how much I prayed and focused and asked God to give me the opportunity to attend such a school.
The class I most enjoyed here was... I have enjoyed all of my classes, especially those that dealt with society and business. What I most enjoy is learning how the United States was formed and how it has made use of all its resources in order to be what it is today. I believe that there are many important factors in the system that have been the key to its success. By applying these successful practices in other countries, we can make very positive changes in societies around the world. At times I have struggled with some challenging mathematics, but even then, my professors have made the classes so interesting. Overall, every class I have attended has taught me a very valuable lesson. I plan to use all my experiences at DePaul to help myself and those around me. I would like to one day have the opportunity to use this knowledge to make relations between nations better, especially between the United States and Costa Rica and other Central American nations.
When I have free time, I like to... read and think about life, where we come from and the truth or reality behind it. I like to visit the lake and meditate. It makes me feel at home having water around me. I like to watch the planes fly by me. I enjoy looking at the boats, too. I like to visit museums, art galleries, musical events and all that enriches my understanding about life and activities that take my stress away.
My favorite thing to do off campus is... traveling and learning more about the United States, its businesses and its people. I like to take notice of all the different nationalities that make up the United States and how each one differentiates from others. I also like to analyze how specific skills or jobs are assigned to the different ethnic groups and how it makes them strong because of the duties performed. I like to see how the government works and its reasons of being so efficient. I like to observe how they use technology and other valuable resources to have the cities and states in such efficient performance.
One think I didn’t know about DePaul before coming was... that Costa Rica's president, Dr. Oscar Arias Sanchez has received awards and acknowledgments at and from DePaul University. I also did not know that DePaul’s honorable president, Father Dennis H. Holtschneider attended Harvard University, where one of our former ex-presidents, Dr. Jose Maria Figueres, attended as well. I also didn’t know that DePaul has a close and very good relationship with the U.S. government, Consular Corps, diplomatic and trade organizations. This is phenomenal because it enriches its level of education due to the communication that exists in between. It is only by these means that we can solve problems in our community, nation and consequently, on a worldwide perspective.
The greatest thing about going to school in Chicago is... the plentiful educational resources available. I really enjoy the amount of history that Chicago has to offer. The architecture, musical events and art are incredible. The different types of food offered and products from around the world are also magnificent to experience. I feel like I go back in time when I visit such old architectural structures. I enjoy feeling the immense power that surrounds this city. From a very young age, I always dreamt of getting an education in the United States and DePaul has made my dream a reality.
Being an international student at DePaul... has given me the chance to understand the world better and how it works. It has helped me understand how humans have so much in common, and at the same time, how we are also different because of of our cultures and how we were raised. It has also shown me that no matter our religious background, we can come together in peace to reach our goals as individuals or as a collective force. We can learn so much from one another by having all the different ethnic backgrounds present in class and outside of the classroom. I have also noticed that there is so much respect from the professors towards the students, and how they also like to learn from us and they value our experience in the United States.
What I remember most about my first quarter at DePaul is... how fun, and at the same time, how difficult it was to adapt to the educational system. I remember clearly not understanding how to do things or what the teacher wanted from me. I remember being alone, far away from everything I knew, away from my family and my usual activities. For the first time in my life I was on my own, away from all that I knew, learning and growing in a country I had only visited for brief moments at a time. It was not what I thought it would be. It was hard to make friends. I was on my own. Because of this, I had to use my talents and experience to give the best of me, but then again, it was not that easy. However, one year has passed by and I’m so excited to keep pursuing my dream and improving to still give the best of me. What really matters is how much effort you put into your actions and leaving the result of the action itself isolated. It is important to know that life is what you make of it and not what life makes of you. Dreams are possible if you have faith and you trust in yourself, and most important, in God which is the Creator of all good.
My greatest success as a student here has been... knowing that I’m able to understand my surroundings on a deeper level. Being able to interact with students from all sorts of backgrounds and actually experiencing it in real life is something to always remember when making decisions. If you know how people think and understand how they act, while engaging in business (trade, international) you can understand and direct yourself or your organization to make the best choices for all. The famous thinker and philosopher Sartre comments on how "we are all connected to each other and because of this, the decisions we make will and can affect all of us." It is only through education, experience and knowledge that we can make our lives better and the world a better place for all. Education is the key to success for every person and consequently, every nation. It opens up our minds to understand the difference between “good and bad” and when or where to apply it. Culture is something you cannot change in a person, however, by looking at the world itself as one, we can understand better the reasons of our actions.
After graduation, I plan to... pursue my master's degree and return to my country. I plan to make business and diplomatic relations amongst my country, the United States and Central America more efficient, especially for those who need the most help which are the countries with the lowest economic growth. I believe that the United States, Canada and Central America can become one, like the European Union, to satisfy the needs of all involved. This will result in a better lifestyle for the people of every nation involved. In our time, we can see how the collective way of thinking and governing is what has resulted as the most beneficial for the people. After all, it is the people who make the countries' economies sustain themselves and thus grow on a more sustainable and equal. By adapting capitalism and democracy, we can interchange these ideas and patterns to develop a more efficient system that benefits both the state and the people.
The one thing I’d like to say to international students considering DePaul... DePaul is an excellent educational institution that carries important values, ideals and principles that can easily be applied in our daily lives, and thus, the career we decide to pursue. Teachers have plenty of knowledge and are always willing to help and make the classes very interesting. There is always an intense level of communication between the professors and their classes, which is one of the most effective ways of learning. DePaul University gives its students the incomparable opportunity to be instructed by professors that have graduated from the most recognized educational institutions within the United States, like Yale and University of Chicago. When it comes to technology, this university offers top-of-the-line equipment to make the educational experience the best in the industry. I enjoy the fact that DePaul is always updating its educational system to what is going on in the real world. This type of education prepares students to be ready to face reality after they have completed their degree. It directs its students on the right path to their intended outcome of what education is and how to apply everything learned. DePaul’s system of education gives its students a strong foundation and preparesstudents for what is next after graduation. DePaul University cares for its students and the institution's mission and vision can easily be recognized in every class and the organization itself.
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