“Tennis. I traveled the world playing competitive tennis from eleven to sixteen. Then, I had to make a decision if I was going to play professional tennis or get a higher education.”
You might be able to guess which option Brazil native Igor Schattan decided to go with.
“It’s very hard to really make money with professional tennis. So, I spoke to my parents and then I got a scholarship to come to America for high school. I did my last two years of high school in Orlando.”
Igor, who is now just months away from graduating with a degree in Finance from the Muma College of Business, has had a few twists and turns along his journey to the University of South Florida.
“I was going to go to New York Tech. The coach had promised me a scholarship, and then he ended up getting a guy from Spain who was much better than me so I ended up going to Lee University for my first two years of college.”
Though this wasn’t his intended destination, Igor made the most of his time in Tennessee.
“I don’t regret it. It was such a great experience.”
That said, Igor knew that he wanted to transfer to a bigger school that would lead to more career opportunities. That’s how he landed back in Florida at USF.
“I’ve been here since last year. I’m involved on campus as much as I can be, I’m keeping good grades, and I’m set to graduate May 2020.”
As for what’s next, Igor is currently exploring his options.
“I’m interning right now with Morgan Stanley in wealth management. Hopefully, I could get a full-time job there, but I’m applying other places as well and I’m trying to network as much as possible.”
Apparently, Igor was already an experienced tutor before signing up on Knack this semester.
“I was a tutor in economics at Lee University and I also tutor business calculus here at USF.”
Naturally, when he heard about Knack, Igor was ready to sign up right away.
“It was really about the opportunity to tutor more people in my free time. I’ve always loved to tutor people.”
The recipient of overwhelmingly positive reviews from the students he tutors, Igor was able to provide some insight into what makes him such a good tutor.
“Coming to another country, being able to adapt is crucial. I think that ties back to tutoring because every student is new and you have to adapt to each student’s way of learning.”
When it comes to finding students who need help, Igor has no hesitations around putting himself out there.
“I know a lot of people here in the business building are taking the classes that I’ve already taken. Talking to those people and offering to help them is easy.”
Igor also had some great advice for new tutors who are just getting started.
“You need to have patience. It’s key to adapt to each student, make sure that they trust you, and always be nice to them so they know that you’re there to truly help them.”
In his free time, Igor has a few different hobbies that keep him active.
“I like surfing a lot. I go to the beach to surf, and I play tennis, table tennis, and chess.”
Reflecting on his life so far, Igor attributes much of his success to becoming independent at a young age.
“I feel like I’ve done so much already. From eleven to sixteen, I was living far away from my family, having to make all the decisions on my own. It gave me a new perspective on life in saying that I can really accomplish things on my own.”
Five years after moving to the US to pursue higher education instead of a career in professional tennis, Igor is pleased with his decision.
“I feel like I’m ready for the job market and whatever is coming in my life. I can really do anything after I graduate. Everything’s coming together, and the future is bright.”
We can’t wait to see just how bright the future is for Igor Schattan.