Monique Rios always knew she had a passion for leadership and people, but never could have guessed how much that passion would come to characterize her college career.

As a freshman, Monique arrived at the University of Arizona with an undeclared major. She wasn’t sure what program best fit her enthusiasm for connecting with people, but she knew she would only settle for something extraordinary.

She found the right fit as a business marketing student in the Eller College of Management.

“The Eller College really appealed to me because of all the great networking opportunities available to students and personal relationships that build off of those,” Monique said. “I had never known a college to be so personal and welcoming.”

In 2009, Monique was chosen as a McCord Scholar within the college.

“Receiving the McCord scholarship has meant opportunity and relief for me,” she said. “This scholarship will allow me to continue dreaming big for my future.”

The scholarship award gave Monique the chance to explore Argentina on a study abroad tour, a dream of hers since starting at the University.

“With all of the financial burdens out of my head, I was able to fully take in the entire experience and learn and absorb even more from my Argentina tour,” she said.

Monique shared her college and international experiences with other UA students in her leadership positions at the University. These positions included serving as an ambassador for the Honors College, an Eller high school recruitment officer, and a member of the UA’s Junior Honorary.

“As I acquire more experience, I will be able to share that with others, and hopefully they will catch my excitement to learn and grow outside of the classroom,” she said.