Five years ago, Rosa Banda had a dream. She loved her country—Honduras—but knew she would have far more opportunities in the United States.
In Honduras, Banda had earned her B.S. in marketing but struggled to find a job. The more she tried to begin her career, the more she felt like her future wasn’t going to be in her country. So, she began the journey of learning English.
Banda took classes in Honduras to learn English, which really helped with her reading and writing skills. But it wasn’t until she lived in Iceland for a year as a volunteer, assisting Kenyan children, that she learned how to be a better English speaker. As soon as her time in Iceland came to an end, she decided she wanted to come live in the U.S.
Moving to the States was not an easy decision for Banda to make. Leaving her home also meant leaving behind family, friends, comfort and her language, and there were so many uncertainties and unknowns. However, she took a leap of faith and left behind all she knew to start her new life here.
Once Banda arrived in the States, she knew she wanted to further her education.
After settling in, she began applying to a few schools in Indiana. However, she felt frustrated because she just wasn’t sure where she was supposed to be or if any of these schools would accept her. After expressing her concerns to a friend, her friend asked, “Why don’t you apply to IWU?”
So, Banda applied and felt peace about her decision. She prayed that God would open the door for her here at IWU, and He did. About a year ago, Banda began her MBA in Human Resource Management.
“Now I know this was definitely a blessing from Him [God],” she said. “I am super blessed and super thankful to IWU for giving me the awesome opportunity not only to grow professionally but to grow as a person and to be a better person.”
Today, Banda and her husband live in Indianapolis with their two-year-old son where they own a cleaning business called Mop it Like It’s Hot. She’s also a part-time server at Café Patachou. While taking her HR classes, Banda also recruits, hires and trains employees and manages the payroll for their business—all new skills she’s learned since beginning her education at IWU.
But for her, it’s more than a degree. Banda said in addition to learning valuable human resource skills in her classes, she’s also learning “how to be a good human.”
“I want to be the person who’s going to make my workplace a better place.”
After graduation, she plans to work full-time with her husband and start up a second cleaning business. More than anything, Banda has a heart for representing Hondurans here in the U.S. and creating bridges for them to help them thrive in the workplace.
“I would like to be someone in the future that helps the people in Honduras. People in my country should not be afraid to pursue their dreams—they should just go for it!”
Banda said that 10 years ago, she would have never imagined where she’d be now and is thankful for all the opportunities she’s been given just by taking a leap of faith.
Indiana Wesleyan University offers 160+ programs for online and onsite adult learners, and is proud to support students and alumni like Rosa Banda. If you're ready to make the leap and connect with a school that's here to support you, visit our Programs Page today