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Aguero Builds Future in Construction with UNL MBA

A native of Guadalupe, which is a suburb of the Costa Rican capital of San José, Pedro Aguero developed his passion for making a difference through construction while earning his undergraduate degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he managed a building design department for a non-profit organization in Costa Rica that helps low-income housing projects. Seeking to further advance his career and his impact, he embarked on an international search of MBA programs that led him to believe there was no place like Nebraska when it comes to value, flexibility and community.
 
“I was considering different universities here in the U.S., and when I was comparing cost and tuition with quality, UNL was the best option,” he said. “You don’t get the quality of education from UNL for this price anywhere else.”
 
The diversity in the UNL MBA program, he said, has made his educational experience even more valuable.
 
Aguero stands tall in front of new CBA building
Aguero stands tall in front of new CBA building
“It’s amazing how diverse everyone’s background is. Not only the international students, but people from the U.S. You have people that were psychology majors. There are people who are engineers. And you obviously have business people, but you get a lot of different backgrounds,” he explained. “That’s good because they add value to discussion in classes. We have people that studied something completely different from what you did, but we find a common place. Different perspectives help a lot.”
 
With plans to return to Costa Rica and pursue a career in the construction industry or real estate development, Aguero will have a broad knowledge base from which to draw. He plans to complete the program in 2017.
 
“When I started the MBA program I already had a good idea of what I wanted to do. But I think you get so much knowledge from different areas of business that you can have different options,” he said. “At some point you’re like ‘hey, I really like finance. I really like economics.’ But on the other hand, you don’t want to leave your background behind. So I want to stick with engineering to some extent. But it helps because you find other areas where you could work and do well.”
 
Aguero believes being involved on campus and its community added to the value of the program. He serves as vice president of the CBA Graduate Student Association, and this summer is taking time to travel and explore other parts of the U.S.
 
“People always ask me, ‘What’s the thing you like the most about UNL?’ I always say I came here for the college and everything, but what really makes you stay here and not regret coming here is the people,” he said. “The people make the difference at UNL. Not only fellow students and the people around Lincoln, but the staff and faculty. And that is what makes the learning experience better. Because when you’re in an environment where you actually feel the support from faculty and staff, you learn more easily.”
Published: July 21, 2016