When he first stepped onto the University of Miami's campus as a prospective student, Jeremiah Paul did something a little unconventional: he pretended to already be a student.
He grabbed a seat at one of the Aresty breezeway tables outside the Miami Herbert Business School, watched the flags ripple in the South Florida breeze, and quietly decided this was where he belonged.
Four years later, he is leaving, but only after collecting two internships at Visa, a full-tuition scholarship, a semester abroad in Barcelona, the presidency of a nationally affiliated marketing organization, a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration with concentrations in marketing, economics, and computer science, and a job offer waiting on the other side of graduation.
Building a resume, one Involvement at a time
Paul hit the ground running when he started his UM journey. His first semester, he joined Model UN, an involvement that would later lead him to help organize a conference for more than 300 high school students from across the state.
"Having that many students look to you to make something work taught me that nothing gets done without a great team around you."
He quickly found his home in the American Marketing Association (AMA), the student chapter of the national professional organization, where he would spend all four years and eventually rise to president.
As a freshman, he served as head of Ibis Consulting within AMA, where he led a client project helping the College of Arts and Sciences develop marketing strategies to better reach prospective students.
"That project gave me a completely different lens on marketing," he said. "I was a first-year student, and I was already doing real work for a real client on campus. That doesn't happen everywhere."
As a sophomore, he was vice president of programming, running weekly chapter meetings and spearheading a recurring segment called Marketing Trends, in which members researched and debated emerging developments in the field, from Super Bowl ad campaigns to shifts in digital strategy.
His senior year brought the most responsibility and, by his own admission, the steepest learning curve.
"Being president has been humbling," he said. "It's fun to be the one giving feedback and setting the vision, but you also see every area for improvement. I wanted to leave our chapter better than I found it."
He fulfilled his mission and raised AMA's profile within national networks by competing in collegiate conferences for the first time in its history.
He also joined Delta Sigma Pi, a professional business fraternity, where he served as fundraising chair during his sophomore year.
His academic record earned him the Singer Scholarship, a full-tuition merit award, and designation as a Foote Fellow. But of all the recognition he has received, he said a sophomore-year trip stands out.
As a Goldstein Marketing Scholar, he traveled to New York City to visit marketing firms across the industry. The Goldstein Marketing Scholars trip exposes students to various areas within the field of marketing. During an all-expenses-paid 4-day trip to New York City, students meet with companies like American Express, Perry Ellis International, Citi, Buzzback Media, and more.
"That trip opened my eyes to how many different directions you can take in this field," Paul said. "It wasn't just inspiring, it was clarifying. That experience might be the best thing I've gotten out of my time here, beyond the degree."
Paul also spent a semester abroad in Spain. During his semester abroad, he traveled to eight countries. He returned to campus with a broader sense of the world and a sharper sense of himself.
Visa, San Francisco, and a career in motion
Before setting foot on campus, Paul had already secured his first internship. As a Visa Black Scholar, he spent summers after his sophomore and junior years in San Francisco working as a software engineer intern and a product management intern at Visa, helping build product roadmaps and supporting go-to-market strategies.
"Networking is everything," he said. "That opportunity came from relationships, not just a résumé. UM taught me to never be afraid to reach out."
He credited several Miami Herbert faculty members with shaping his professional outlook, particularly Amy Agramonte, his first marketing professor.
He also pointed to professors such as Wendy Chun, Ian Scharf, Don Donelson, and Carlos Erban, who serve as AMA's faculty advisors, as key figures in his development.
"The school taught me time management, how to pick the right opportunities, and how to be a go-getter," he said. "And at UM, Canes care for Canes. Students, professors, everyone genuinely wants to help you."
After graduation, Paul will return to Visa as an associate product manager before heading back to Europe for the summer.
"If I could go back and tell my high school self what this would look like, he wouldn't believe me," Paul said. "Miami has given me so much. I'm excited to call it my second home for the rest of my life."
