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UW-Eau Claire photo by Rick Mickelson |
Julia Bakhtiyarova Welch
- Hewitt, Wis./Ukraine
- MBA (master of business administration)
- What's next: Seeking an information technology position in the Madison, Wis., area
Julia Bakhtiyarova Welch left her home in Ukraine in 1998 and, based on a friend's recommendation, enrolled as an undergraduate in UW-Eau Claire's management information systems program. She arrived excited about the opportunities she'd have with a college degree from the United States.
"I did not specifically intend to remain in the United States," Welch said. "However, as time passed I realized more and more that for a woman whose field is IT (information technology), the United States offers the best opportunities in the world. This was especially evident after my six months of employment with a software development company in Kiev, Ukraine, where it was hard to establish myself because I was a female."
This spring, Welch completes her graduate degree from UW-Eau Claire, a master's in business administration (she completed her MIS degree in 2002). She has been named the 2006 Outstanding College of Business MBA Graduate. Welch will seek employment in the Madison, Wis., area, where she will join her husband, also a 2006 UW-Eau Claire graduate.
More on Julia Welch
Future plans: In the next couple of months I am planning to locate an information technology position in Madison, Wis., preferably in the area of consulting. In the long term, I hope to have a successful career and a happy life after joining my husband in Madison. We had been living in different cities since last August!
What she liked most about her time at UW-Eau Claire: I especially liked how accessible and helpful the professors are. Also, UW-Eau Claire has a vibrant international community - I felt that I learned a lot about the world in my years here. Additionally, there is strong support for student research at UW-Eau Claire.
UW-Eau Claire career highlights: My best experience outside of the academics was my on-campus employment with Learning and Technology Services. Every day at work I learned a lot about my field and consider myself lucky to have worked with the networking team.
Proudest college accomplishments: I'm proudest of my research presentations at two national conferences, one at the American Psychological Association national convention in Washington, D.C., and one at the Midwest Business Administration Association conference in Chicago.
Advice for incoming students: Get involved in extracurricular activities, interest groups and honor societies as soon as possible. It will help open an entire world of possibilities.
Learn about other featured May 2006 graduates
