Isel Otero Torres' ‘21 trip to college three and a half years ago was a short one. A graduate of South Bend's Adams High School, she appreciated that Notre Dame would challenge her but also allow her to stay close to her family. Isel is the first to admit that when she arrived at ND she did not have a specific plan for her business degree, but she hoped, by graduation, to be prepared for several jobs in that sector. Open attitudes like this are perfect for AnBryce's networks at Notre Dame and beyond.
During her time at Notre Dame Isel explored opportunities available through the University but also through the AnBryce Foundation. The summer after her sophomore year, Isel took an analyst position at the IDEA Center, a new campus partner of the AnBryce Scholars Program. She spent the summer becoming an “expert” on many different aspects of four unique business start-ups operating out of the Center. Isel stayed on after the summer and joined the Problem Validation team. All of these practical, on the ground situations refined her communication skills and adaptability. You can read more about her experience, here.
Isel also gained insight into the work of the Anbryce Foundation when she spent a summer at Camp Dogwood in Virginia. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountain, Camp Dogwood offers experiential learning opportunities for under-resourced children from the metro DC area. Sessions run every two weeks and have different age groups at each session. Isel notes this experience added to her communication skills and adaptability with an extra element of intense leadership. She remembers how fully present she had to be with her campers and how much trust she had to build in a short amount of time, only to start over again every two weeks. She loved her time at camp, her campers, and her fellow counselors not to mention appreciating a chance to see more of what the Foundation does across for children of all ages.
The Idea Center and Camp Dogwood provided Isel valuable skill-building opportunities, but it was an experience Freshman year that started her on her post-graduation path. All first year students take part in AnBryce’s Global Immersion program, a week-long travel experience that explores global citizenry in different locations around the world. This trip is done in conjunction with a special Writing and Rhetoric class taught by Professor Patrick Clauss for our AnBryce Scholars. During Isel’s trip to D.C., scholars had lunch with Marty Rodgers, Accenture Corporation's Market Unit Lead for the US South. The two stayed in touch with plans for a possible future internship with Accenture in Chicago. This came together last summer albeit remotely due to Covid restrictions. However, the experience was really positive and Isel will join Accenture as a Consulting Development Program Analyst after graduation. AnBryce is thrilled she’ll be so close to home and to Notre Dame!