Positively Impactful

Radley Alcantara knew before coming to college that he wanted to “make his mark” as a student, whether it was through volunteering, teaching people about diversity, or being president of a club.

To meet his goal, he's involved in countless activities—serving as a CommUNITY Educator (CUE) and Kelley Student Business Ambassador, participating in the Real Estate Club, Global Sales Leadership Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Civic Leadership Development, and volunteering as an usher at the IU Auditorium. “As cheesy as it sounds,” he says, “I told myself I was going to make a positive difference. Plus, I know that these activities will help me in my future career because of the people I've met and the invaluable lessons I've learned.”

Alcantara's career goals are to be a commercial real estate broker and eventually own, develop, sell, and lease his own properties. But his philanthropic goals are most important to him: “I chose business because I've always wanted to help others. With business, I can be the one to lead my company's philanthropic mission. You'd be surprised to know how many resources companies have that can be used to go toward a good cause, such as providing scholarships to students, mentoring kids, or helping with international issues like poverty and education.”

He knows his Kelley degree will help him meet these goals, thanks to the knowledge he's gained and the strong network he's built. “Everyday, I'm surrounded by people who are different from me—ethnically, intellectually, and so on—and I can learn from each one of them and apply it to the real world,” Alcantara says. “Also, the alumni and guest speakers that Kelley attracts are phenomenal. I never thought that I'd be interacting with CEOs and CFOs of major multibillion dollar companies and not be nervous."

Alcantara's internship experiences also added to his confidence. He interned for Duke Realty in Chicago last year, and this past summer he interned at the U.S. Department of State in the Bureau of Administration's Office of the Procurement Executive. “INROADS helped me land the internship,” he says. “I'm very interested in world issues and diplomacy, so I thought it would be great to see how the U.S. handles different issues, especially in foreign affairs. I've also always had an interest in moving to Washington, D.C., so I thought that this would be a great chance to see if D.C. is somewhere I'd like to live in the future.”

At the State Department, he got to see firsthand what the government sector is like—from discovering topics not covered in the mainstream news media to learning about the United States' role in international development.

“Through my internship experiences, I saw that many of the points that Kelley emphasizes were actually being practiced, like group projects,” he says. “Both at Duke and the State Department, the majority of projects are done with teams and everyone is there to help one another to reach a common goal.

I'm glad that I was able to see a glimpse of each sector because it will help me see how much of an impact I can have on other people's lives in each. These experiences I've had and the people I've met have shaped who I am as a person today both personally and professionally.”

In Brief

Favorite Kelley courses: “My favorite classes have been my Business Presentation classes because of the constant interaction. I was able to meet all of the people in my classes, and I didn't have to sit quietly in class all hour. In those classes, I could speak up and be myself and it was, actually, highly encouraged.”

Favorite Bloomington restaurant: Chow Bar

What's on his iPod: “Mostly Reggaeton, hip-hop, pop, rap, and R&B.”