UC grad turns humanities degree into entrepreneurial success
Study abroad leads to A&S alum to found company in Madrid
Growing up on Ludlow Avenue in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Clifton, Harrison Fowler had planned to enroll in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at the University of Cincinnati.
UC was close to home, and ROTC seemed like the right choice. But life had other plans.
At the last minute, Fowler withdrew from ROTC and enrolled to earn his bachelor’s in Spanish, which meant he needed a study-abroad experience to complete his degree. He was apprehensive, but completed his requirement in Madrid, in a move that would change the direction of his life.
Says Fowler of his foreign-language major, and his experience abroad: “Speaking another language opens up a whole other world and relationships for you.”
UC alum Harrison Fowler with his wife in Madrid. Photo/Provided
He speaks from experience. It was in Madrid that he met his wife-to-be, Alejandra Rodríguez, who is from the Canary Islands. It was also there that he found his calling, which led him to begin his company in 2017. RVF International (the acronym stands for Research, Venture, Find) is a business that assists educators in teaching abroad.
Nobody had a streamlined process, or company, to help people teach abroad, specifically in Spain, he says.
Says one member of the program in an online testimonial: “I’ve been having a great time teaching English to little kids in Galicia. I’ve seen so much of Spain, and am excited to see a lot more. There’s no way I’d be here if it weren’t for the helpful people of RVF guiding me through every step of the way.”
As RVF International approaches its seventh year, it has 350 clients, and is forecasting 400 by fall of 2024. His clients are typically recent college grads from English programs which RVF helps with paperwork and job hunting.
Take a leap and lean into what you really want to do. Go have an adventure while you can.
Harrison Fowler, UC College of Arts and Sciences graduate
Undergrad experience proves invaluable
Before he graduated with his bachelor’s in Spanish and a minor in communication in 2015, Fowler took full advantage of the curricular opportunities offered in UC’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Studying with Carlos Gutiérrez, professor of Spanish, Fowler received a lot of one-on-one coaching, he says. His senior project had Fowler translating short stories from Gutiérrez’s collection “La red ciega” from Spanish to English.
The Argument and Contemporary Issues class, taught by professor of communication Suzanne Boys, helped him to develop elevator pitches and persuasive writing, he says. “I never took a business class,” says Fowler, “so the communication courses helped me in the long run.”
To students considering pursuing a foreign language degree, Fowler says: “One-hundred percent do it! You will develop interpersonal skills and have direct access to faculty. I would also advise them to do the study abroad program.
“Take a leap and lean into what you really want to do,” Fowler adds. “Go and have an adventure while you can, and gain those skills that you will use later in life.”
Featured image at top: Madrid, Spain, in the evening. Credit/Jorge Fernandez Salas for Unsplash
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