For Rio, being a global citizen is in his blood. Rio has been exposed to multiple cultures at home and has been lucky to travel extensively across Europe and the Middle East. Because of this, the world really felt like his oyster while choosing his post-secondary journey – and he considered some very off-the-beaten-path destinations. But he had three important pieces of criteria in his search: it needed to be a business school, it needed to be in a big city, and it must have an opportunity to play soccer. 

At the end of the day, Rio only applied to one school.

‘Decisive’ would be a good word to describe Rio’s approach, however, it didn’t start that way. A ‘Lifer’ at Collingwood – a term of endearment given to those students who begin in Junior Kindergarten – Rio has been exposed to hundreds, if not thousands, of paths to explore. He acted in school plays, played on numerous teams, among them soccer, basketball, rugby and tennis; was on the executive team for the business club and competed with the Economics team. He also contributed countless hours as a student leader, including roles as House captain and as Head Student. His instincts and passion have often steered him toward the world of business.

His entrepreneurial journey began in Grade 8 when he built a couple ecommerce businesses with his friend during lunch hours and after school. “We weren’t the most successful but we did learn some valuable skills,” Rio laughs. Pursuing diverse interests has always been something Rio has done. 

By the time he hit high school, Rio was beginning to feel restless. It was during the pandemic that Rio decided to learn a new skill and began researching stocks. He started to pitch them to his Dad and joined conversations with the family stock broker.

“My dad was always on business calls when he would drive me to soccer practices, and I would listen in and ask him questions after. That’s how I started becoming passionate about business,” he says.

His appetite for risk-taking and leadership is apparent to many people who meet Rio. His University Guidance Counselor, Mr. Chris Payne, says he could tell from his first meeting with Rio back in Grade 9 that his ability to feel at ease around new people would take him far.

“Rio is comfortable talking to anyone in the building, no matter their age or expertise,” Mr. Payne says. “He’s never been one to follow the pack or conform.”

This allowed for close collaboration between Rio and Mr. Payne, who helped him consider university options outside of Canada and the United States. Rio considered schools in the Middle East, and parts of Europe, specifically the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland. 

“Rio was really focused on going international, and we had a long list of all the Spanish, Italian and Swiss business schools.”

A school called IE Business School ended up at the top of that list. Located in Madrid, IE is one of the top business programs in Europe, and the world, and it didn’t take long to see that it checked all of Rio’s boxes.

“There were a few other schools I considered, but IE stood out. I’ve visited Spain a lot and I really like the culture, language, and the people,” Rio says. “I feel like Madrid is the perfect match for me. It is a place I feel comfortable living in and it provides me with a unique ecosystem–with opportunities to play soccer and also as an excellent hub for business, especially for start-ups.”

Timing university applications can be a tricky process, especially if one considers schools outside of Canada, which all operate differently. Rio was able to apply for IE in September–very early in the season, so when his acceptance offer came in, he hadn’t even started applying to other schools yet. 

Mr. Payne supported Rio’s decision to forego the other applications and commit to IE. “I knew that if Rio applied and got into IE, he would go there.” Of course, there were back-up plans in place and other schools on his list, however, Rio had a gut feeling that IE was the right choice.

He researched the school and city extensively, right down to what neighborhood he might live in and what soccer teams he could try out for. Because he had sampled so many different interests and passions while at Collingwood, Rio had the lived experience to know what was important to him in his post-secondary life.

“I like to do things I’m good at,” he says, with the kind of insight usually learned later in life.

“Rio could be an example for other students who are wondering about the best way to find their path and identify their strengths,” Mr. Payne explains. “That looks like engaging with teachers, your UG counselor, and any other adult around the school, as early as you feel comfortable. The earlier the better.”

Mr. Payne encourages students to ask their UG counselor any questions they have about college, courses, and their future. “We want to support that as much as possible.”

One of Rio’s mottos is “the race to excellence has no finish line.” Collingwood School will always be the starting line in Rio’s never-ending journey to success.