{"id":7874,"date":"2014-05-14T14:06:42","date_gmt":"2014-05-14T19:06:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/college.unc.edu\/?p=7874"},"modified":"2024-07-02T14:37:54","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T14:37:54","slug":"globalheel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/?p=7874","title":{"rendered":"Global Heel: Alumna praises UNC international experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n Elaina Giolando on her way to a business meeting with the President of one of the national agricultural associations in Lagos, Nigeria.<\/p>\n

Elaina Giolando \u201911 followed her heart at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and beyond to New York City; Lagos, Nigeria; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; and to her current posting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Giolando attributes her globe-trotting career to the international exposure and encouragement she gained while a student at Carolina.<\/p>\n

When Giolando came to Carolina from Buffalo, New York, as an undergrad, she expected to major in business. \u201cBut I left with a degree in international relations, full proficiency in Mandarin Chinese and a job offer from IBM Global Business Services,\u201d she recalled. \u201cI saw how successful other Tar Heels were who simply followed their hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Giolando currently works in the business world, as a student she interned with non-governmental organizations in Guatemala and Egypt. She studied Chinese, traveled to Singapore in the Southeast Asia Summer Program and proactively sought out the funding to make her path feasible. Those experiences paid off when it came time to launch her career, according to Giolando, who drew on her global education in interviews and job applications. She is also multilingual, capable of speaking Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish.<\/p>\n

While a student at Carolina, Giolando seized a number of global opportunities. She participated in the UNC Semester in China Program as a\u00a0Phillips Ambassador<\/a>, an award for students to pursue study abroad in Asia. She also earned\u00a0a Class of 1938 Award, which provides funding for students to pursue\u00a0independent projects outside the United States.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of what I learned at Carolina, I was not afraid to take a career risk by moving to Nigeria to accept my current position,\u201d she said, noting that the move allowed to her embark on a unique personal and professional path.<\/p>\n

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Giolando left IBM to work with ASAP Worldwide<\/a> as a project coordinator and international sales executive. For her work, she travels to a new country in Latin America, Asia or Africa every three to four months, interviewing business leaders and members of the government about emerging markets. Giolando also manages advertising sales.<\/p>\n Giolando after interviewing Norovyn Altankhuyag, the prime minister of Mongolia, for her company\u2019s Fortune Magazine report.\n

Of all the places she has lived and worked so far, Giolando said that her personal favorite was Lagos, Nigeria, because of its intensity and oddly charming character. Still, she describes Mongolia as one of the most amazing places she\u2019s visited. \u201cIts sheer isolation, rich and [often] misunderstood cultural traditions and persistent nomadic lifestyle make it a destination that shocks travelers into beginning to appreciate the immense diversity of human life on earth,\u201d Giolando explained.<\/p>\n

Her professional experience has given her insight into how recent graduates can build the career of their dreams: \u201cGain two to three years [of] experience at home in a reputable company or organization but never stop looking abroad for what you really want to be doing,\u201d she said. \u201cMove to a big city after college to maximize your exposure to opportunities, utilize the Carolina alumni network and make sure you have a stellar LinkedIn presence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Giolando\u2019s website (www.lifebefore30.com)<\/a> explores the intersection between her career, travel and personal growth.<\/p>\n

Story courtesy of UNC Global<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n