Sport Manaement senior, Sergio Santamaria, had the experience of a lifetime when he attended the Forbes Under 30 Summit from October 1-4 in Boston, Massachusetts. Not only did he attend the summit, but he was named an Under 30 Scholar, an honor presented to the most promising students in the country to reward their effort and drive. This scholarship program, funded by Forbes, allowed Santamaria to attend the conference at no cost and network with other Scholars as well as interact with elite businesswomen and men in special access areas.
Throughout the event, Santamaria heard speakers and interacted with many people from all around the world. Of his experience, his biggest takeaway was "[the] realization of just how many people are catalyzing change and driving forward around the world." He met Scholars from Spain, India, Bahrain, and more, and developed close friendships in just four short days.
Hearing from speakers such as Lindsey Vonn, Amar'e Stoudemire, Aly Raisman, Jake Paul, and Kendrick Lamar, there was one stand out for Santamaria. When Tamika Mallory, Co-President of the Women's March took the stage, the audience, including Satnamaria, was captivated. She spoke with wit, enthusiasm and inspiration and Santamaria described it as, "absolutely incredible."
This opportunity didn't just fall into Santamaria's lap. He went through an application process and after his second year applying was named an Under 30 Scholar. When asked of his motivations for attending the conference, Santamaria described, "I absolutely LOVE engaging in educated and diverse conversations on topics outside my areas of knowledge or expertise... and I had lots of [those] in Boston."
Santamaria took his knowledge back to Rice where he is president of Rice Sport Business Society and Rice Rally Club. The drive and ambition that allowed him to attend this conference guide him in his daily life and allow him to excel. Maybe one day he will be up on the Under 30 stage giving a speech of his own.
Madison Nasteff, a junior from Liberty, Missouri, is majoring in Mechanical Engineering and is the student assistant for the Department of Sport Management.