Senior creates opportunities for fellow international students to build community
Roy Ricaldi, a business analytics and management & leadership major graduating this spring, wants to use his experiences and expertise to help underrepresented students and professionals.
The beginning of Roy Ricaldi’s KU journey was hard. Originally from Lima, Peru, Ricaldi received an International Excellence Award that covered the full cost of his tuition at KU. But adapting to a new culture and making friends was intimidating, Ricaldi recounted.
“I would often feel out of place, which has nothing to do with KU being unwelcoming, but myself being homesick,” he said. “The first time I felt included on campus was when my American roommates invited me to go to Late Night in the Phog.”
The annual event kicks off basketball season at KU with skits, performances and scrimmages. Ricaldi had never attended a basketball game and had no idea who the 2017 featured performer, Lil Yachty, was.
“Nevertheless, it was phenomenal,” he said. “After spending a night engaging in a KU tradition and building memories with domestic students, I truly felt like Lawrence could eventually feel like home, and shortly after, it did.”
Although that night proved a way for Ricaldi to build community, he realized there was still a broader lack of engagement between international and domestic students and set out to change it.
“One way of doing this was getting involved in student organizations,” he said. “In these groups, I made some of the best memories I have from KU, uniting students from many backgrounds through common interests.”
Ricaldi has served as president of French Club, vice president of Marketing Club, chief of public relations for the International Student Association, and the recruitment chair for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, in addition to being part of numerous other clubs. He also created the Global Business Initiative, a student organization designed to help the international community within the School of Business feel included through the organic exchange of ideas and culture.
Ricaldi’s post-graduation plans will take him to another international setting — the University of Padua in Italy, where he will earn a master’s in cybersecurity on a full-ride scholarship. Despite receiving multiple job offers from consulting firms, Ricaldi decided continuing his education would better prepare him to reach his long-term goals.
“I want to learn how to use digital technologies, to gain refined skills and have a career dedicated to designing my own data science methods,” he explained. “From a predictive model to a new machine-learning algorithm, with the proper training, the possibilities to add value in business will be endless. Data security and analytics skills are fundamental to the digital revolution, and I plan to dedicate my life to the progress of this movement, using my creativity, curiosity and drive for innovation.”
Beyond his professional aspirations, Ricaldi wants to help underrepresented communities in their pursuit of education and leadership positions.
“It is my goal to offer motivation as a role model, giving other underrepresented professionals in the field the confidence needed to reach their potential,” he said. “I want to use my story to motivate others while validating their dreams, no matter their identity, background or challenges.”
