Alumni Profile: Mirella Battista ’06
March 2019
It’s a little known fact that Delaware County Community College features a robust international student recruitment program. As this story is being written, college administrators are overseas recruiting students who wish to begin their academic journey later this fall in the Greater Philadelphia region. They are specifically recruiting students such as the subject of this month’s profile, Mirella Gurgel Do Amaral Teles, now Mirella Battista ’06.
Battista began her studies in 2004 as an international student from Brazil. During her time in the classroom, she worked toward a degree in general studies while achieving academic honors and graduating in 2006 before transferring to Philadelphia University. There, she enrolled in the pre-MBA Bachelor of Science program while again achieving high academic honors before graduating in 2010. After six years in the United States, she returned home and received her MBA in Finance in 2013 from Fundacao Getulio Vargas, a Brazilian university designed to prepare top students to work in public and private administration careers.
Now, Battista has returned to the United States and is putting her academic skills to work for Essilor Luxottica, the largest manufacturer of eyewear in the world. She has held several roles including financial analyst, accountant and currently is the senior business analyst for their Eyemed division. As she reflects on her career, Battista credits the College with getting her started: “It has been 12 years since I graduated from Delaware County Community College but I feel it was the jumpstart for an amazing lifelong career.”
Battista recognizes several professors here at the College for helping her along the way. “I have three very special professors which I would like to thank. I will divide them in how my career path has changed. Former Professor Irene Rudisill (Eng Comp I) inspired me to become a teacher/professor. Professor Rudisill would read texts and poems with such passion, the whole class would feel inspired! Professor Melissa Joarder was an outstanding professor, full of knowledge and a very strict grader. I remember once leaving her class in tears thinking I wasn't going to pass it (since I am not a native English speaker), but I did! That was the toughest ‘A’ I earned; She was always there to help me before and after class making sure I had everything I needed. Those two professors inspired me to possibly become an English as a Second Language Professor. However, I started my last class with Professor Robert Bennett (Supervision, BUS 211) and my plans changed drastically. Professor Bennett made me super curious about corporate America and at that time I had just been hired at an accounting firm. He was so knowledgeable and always willing to help.”
As she looks back through professional lenses, Battista has a piece of advice for those considering the classroom, “Take your time and enjoy every year at (the College). All professors and staff are there to help you; take advantage of their knowledge sharing and make it your own, with your own experiences. They will inspire you to be better; better than yourself yesterday - that should be your only goal.”
We commend Mirella as she keeps her eyes open for future opportunities to use her classroom experiences in the professional workplace.
