Business Major Draws on Latinx Community to Advance Marketing Career

This story by Carrie Stetler originally appeared in the October 9, 2024, Rutgers Newark News.

Julio Teran’s background as the son of Ecuadorian immigrants and his connection to a range of Spanish-speaking communities at home and on campus gives him an advantage in the field of marketing, he contends.

“Speaking Spanish, having Hispanic roots, and understanding other cultures–Caribbean, Mexican, Colombian–all of the communities I grew up with or have gotten to know–having that perspective helps a lot,’’ said Teran, a fourth-year student at Rutgers Business School who is majoring in marketing. “It’s a growing population, and having that insight and knowledge is important.’’

Teran is on the digital marketing committee of the Rutgers-Newark chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals For America, a group that has helped him network and learn more about career opportunities.

“The thing that attracted me is finding people who sounded and looked like me,’’ he said. “It resonated with me. I’ve met many people that I consider my friends and discovered a whole new playing field.”

The mix of cultures and backgrounds at Rutgers-Newark, one of the most diverse campuses in the nation and a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution, has also helped him personally and professionally.

“You don’t just meet Hispanics here but everyone,’’ he said. “All these opportunities that maybe another school won’t give you, are always there at Newark.”

Although he initially wanted to become an astronomer and still loves astronomy, Teran found himself drawn to a career in marketing after representatives from Rutgers Business School visited his class at New Brunswick High School to share information about majors.

“Marketing stood out to me the most, how to sell an idea or product. That sounded exciting to me,’’ said Teran.

Teran’s parents left Ecuador before he was born and came to the U.S. to build a better life for themselves and their family. They settled first in New Brunswick and later moved to South Plainfield when Teran was a sophomore in high school. Today, his father works as a truck driver, and his mother is a line leader at the Christian Dior Perfumes factory. But it took them time to find stability.

 “I remember them saying when they first came here, it was hard. One of them had to work in the morning and one in the afternoon, so there would be someone home with us,’’ said Teran. “But they eventually saved enough money to buy a car and a house. They have stable jobs now.”

He credits the Rutgers Future Scholars program, which he joined in middle school, with helping him hone his skills as a student and put him on track to attend college. It removed some of the barriers to higher education he might have faced otherwise, said Teran.

His own experience as a Future Scholar inspired him to become a mentor in the program. “Some of the students are afraid to go to college because they don’t think they’ll get accepted or because they don’t have the resources that other people do,’’ said Teran. “The goal is having them enrich potential they know they have, but maybe because of economic issues and where they come from, they don’t fully develop. We’re here to encourage them to see there’s more life than just the stigma.’’

After graduation, Teran hopes to find a marketing and sales job at Moody’s, where he has already formed connections. In the meantime, he enjoys creating his own content, including a YouTube collaboration with his girlfriend Vitoria Sandri, an aspiring architect, called “We Talk Arch.’’ It explores the history of landmark buildings in New York City and other places.

For Teran, Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month is also a way to learn about history and celebrate aspects of his culture he appreciates most: food and family.

“I like history, looking back on other cultures, not just my own. It’s a nice chance to do that, but not just this month, throughout the year. Celebrating with friends and families has been fun. It’s a time to learn and enjoy,'' said Texan.