Brayden Andersen Macias, an international business and marketing double major who was in a foreign country for the first time in his life as part of a study abroad program, wasn't sure if he was on the right path with his chosen studies. .
He studied abroad in Portugal and Spain from January to June 2022, and it was then that he realized he had made the right decision. While in Valencia, Spain, he witnessed the Valencia Valas, an annual tradition held in honor of St. Joseph.
He said he spent a week away from home to see larger-than-life artworks and experience something he believed he couldn't see anywhere else. At the end of the celebration, the city burned their works, but he found the demonstration fascinating and beautiful.
“The whole city of Valencia spends several weeks building these giant paper mache and cardboard buildings, painting them and then burning them all down to celebrate,” Andersen-Macias said. . “I think it's obviously something you can't see anywhere else. It really stands out to me as a great experience.”
Although studying abroad was only 12.5% of his college experience, it was the part that made it clear to him that he had made the right decision to study international business.
“I went abroad and I loved it,” Andersen-Macias said. “Once I graduated from university and started my actual career, it really solidified my desire to work abroad.”
Andersen-Macias said she always knew in the back of her mind that her academic interests were in business, but it was at WSU that she realized that global business was her calling. Bilingual in Spanish and English, he thought these skills would translate well to working internationally.
The West Side Washington native said he toured every college in the state and quickly began narrowing down his options.
Western Washington was not his stage. It was good for the outdoors, but not the perfect fit. He didn't want to study in Seattle because it's expensive. Eastern Washington was like “baby his WSU.” But once I toured Pullman, I fell in love with the campus.
He said his parents attending WSU may have influenced his decision, although it wasn't a deciding factor.
“Both of my parents went to school here. I'd like to say it didn't affect me, but it didn't hurt me,” Andersen-Macias said.
Andersen-Macias said his parents had a big reaction when they found out he was going to WSU.
“They were pretty excited. I mean, my dad is a member of the 1890 Club. He's a big donor to the school,” Andersen-Macias said. “All his buddies went here. He was in Greek life. I mean, he was losing his mind. His mother was so excited that the reaction of those around her… It was pretty serious.”
During her four years at WSU, Andersen-Macias has been involved with Carson College, Greek Life, and more. His advisors and professors noticed his leadership qualities and his desire to improve early.
“His keen self-awareness and unwavering confidence in his professional goals were impressive. Braden's eagerness to immerse himself in all aspects of the Carson College of Business, university life, and the Greek community was a testament to his dedication to his future. ,” said Michelle Chapman, Assistant Director of Student Engagement and Career Development at the Carson Center for Student Success.
Ms. Chapman, who also teaches lower-level classes at Carson, asked Ms. Andersen-Macias to speak to the freshmen and sophomores in her class about her experience as a Korg. Chapman said what stood out to him was his ability to connect with students in such a short amount of time.
“He has become a speaker who not only connects with the students in my class, but also shows firsthand how he has overcome similar challenges,” Chapman said. “As I have invited speakers from executives to professors over the years, the impact Brayden had on my students was clear. They were engaged, asked meaningful questions, and his insightful He showed great respect for power.”
Andersen-Macias said leadership skills are a quality she continues to strive to build, even though she doesn't always like the feeling of being in charge. His desire for leadership made him a vocal voice in the classroom.
Associate Professor Chadwick Miller said he admired Andersen-Macias' confidence and ability to navigate all types of situations, especially those faced with uncertainty.
Miller said Andersen-Macias was in several of her classes and was a constant presence in the classroom. He was always fun in class, making playful efforts to win over his professors and classmates, and his efforts made him a fun person to be in the classroom with.
“Brayden's willingness to push for what he wants and his ability to rationalize why he should have those things is amazing,” Miller said. “While we didn't always agree, we talked in class about topics such as the topic of the project, the extra effort points he felt he should receive, and even how quickly he would become his CMO at Amazon. I liked how he tried to be convincing when we talked about it.”
After interning at Amazon in Washington over the summer, Andersen-Macias plans to get a job after graduation. He will begin work as an area manager at Amazon's warehouse in Denver on June 3, and will continue his hopeful climb at Amazon and other international businesses over the next few years.
When he looks back on his college experience, there's one piece of advice that stuck with him even before he enrolled. He said some of his family members told him to savor his time at WSU because it would pass quickly. He may have thought it was just a cliché, but he wanted to keep this word in mind.
“Here I am four years later. I'm sitting here thinking, 'Damn, that happened so fast,'” Andersen-Macias said.
