Mills E. Godwin High School
Richmond, Virginia
International Business and Finance 

God provides the wind, but man must raise the sails.

Saint Augustine

Impactful experience: 
During my sophomore year, my faculty advisor connected me to an executive at UPS.  After expressing my interests in emerging markets, I was offered a summer position in UPS’s Dubai headquarters, the first UPS internship in the region.  The position would focus on Expo 2020 – a global business showcase including 192 countries and the first to be hosted in the Middle East or Africa.  Prior to my arrival in Dubai, I would conduct research in Rwanda with Zipline, the world’s largest autonomous healthcare drone network. Though ultimately cancelled by COVID-19, the process of obtaining my internship in Dubai was an impactful professional learning experience.  By networking with international contacts and navigating the visa process, I gained valuable skills for the rest of my career.  And the cancellation was an important lesson too - I enjoyed the internship I ended up with in the US.  Things don’t have to go perfectly to end up right. 

Enjoy most as a TS: 
The Top Scholar program has changed my life in ways for which I am profoundly grateful.  What I thought was a short-term, undergraduate decision to attend Carolina has proven to be a long-term investment in my personal and professional life.  Because of this program, I have made lifelong friends whom I consider family.  Professionally, access to the Office of National Fellowships and Scholar Programs created opportunities to apply for and win opportunities such as the Critical Language Scholarship, which prepared me for a meaningful career.  Being a Top Scholar is the reason I’m a Gamecock, and the past four years have been some of the best of my life. 

Story: 
As an International Business major, I had the opportunity to study in Marseille, France during the spring of my junior year.  I chose Marseille because, with minors in French, Islamic World Studies, and African Studies, the diversity of the port city acts as a case study of my interests in the European immigration model, religious integration, and economic development.

Following the unexpected death of my father in a 2019 sailing accident, I viewed my education as a celebration of the opportunities he championed and the values he instilled.  In Marseille, I took sailing lessons from a professional academy to honor his memory.   Marseille is one of the oldest sailing destinations in the world and is overlooked by Notre-Dame de la Garde, a Catholic basilica.  

Post-graduate plans: 
Following graduation, Madison will be joining Pearl Meyer & Partners as an analyst.  Pearl Meyer is the leader in executive compensation consulting and is located in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Career goals/professional aspirations: 
I am interested in healthcare export, logistics, and last mile delivery, especially in emerging markets.  I ultimately hope to work in vaccine distribution for a large multinational and contribute to global efforts to improve public health.  After working for a few years, I would like to earn a joint MBA and MPH to further my education.