JCU as a Family Tradition: Economics and Finance Student Omar Attiya
Omar Attiya, class of 2018, graduated with a double degree in Economics and Finance and Marketing. Born in Egypt and raised in Kuwait, he is the fourth member of his family to graduate from JCU, following his two older brothers and mother. While at JCU, he worked as a Student Assistant at the IT Office and as a representative for the Admissions Office.
The Attiya family at JCU 2018 Commencement
What are your plans after graduation?
I obtained an internship position at Messagenius as a market and business developer through the JCU Career Fair. The position focuses on market analysis.
What was your most memorable moment at JCU?
I actually cannot pin down one moment. The whole time at JCU is unforgettable because of my friends, professors, or even just the fact that we are in Rome. I am extremely thankful to my professors who inspired me to keep asking questions and get the most out of my time here at JCU.
Your mother was the first from your family to attend JCU. What prompted her decision?
My grandfather got a job at FAO in Rome and the entire family had to relocate. In Rome, my mother, Amal, graduated from secondary school and then applied to LUISS University. After already being accepted, she discovered the newly established John Cabot University (College, at the time) and felt it was the perfect place for her. At JCU, she studied marketing, a unique program in Italy at that time, and graduated in 1983 in a class consisting of six other students. That year, she returned home to Egypt to work at a local bank. As her career progressed, she moved to Kuwait, to work for the Italian embassy. That is also where she met my father, and they decided to settle down there.
How has JCU changed since your mother’s time here?
My mother sometimes recollects when JCU’s student body was about 100 students, there was just one building, and the Lemon Tree Courtyard used to be a parking lot. She is very proud to witness how the university has evolved.
What about your brothers? What path did they follow?
My eldest brother, Wael, who enrolled in 2001, focused on the Business curriculum that JCU offered but, unlike my mother, pursued his career far from the corporate world and currently works at the World Food Program. My other brother, Karim, majored in Business Administration at JCU, went on to receive his MBA in International Business, and now works in the field of management consulting with Business Integration Partners in Dubai.
If you had to give just one suggestion to current JCU students, what would it be?
At JCU you obtain an American degree while having a great experience living in Rome and meeting new people from all over the world. My advice to students is to enjoy every second of this experience, do not hesitate or be scared, just go for it!
