UF Innovation Academy graduates start their professional adventures
Nickolas Choquette has a job as a financial analyst in South Florida.
Sabrina Castro is moving to Atlanta to work at CNN.
Hailey Brown is headed to Austin to join Oracle.
Choquette, Castro and Brown are among 119+ class of 2025 graduates of the University of Florida Innovation Academy, UF’s entreprenurial residential program designed to help students rapidly launch and build careers in entrepeneurship and innovation.
“Gator graduates are very successful in starting their careers right out of the gate — and we’re proud that IA graduates contribute to that professional success,” said Jeff Citty, director of the academy. “The academy’s spring and summer graduates are already doing amazing things.”
Innovation Academy students, who may choose from 29 majors, earn a minor in Innovation.
Choquette, who will earn his B.S. in Business Administration this summer, is joining Cudlob Capital in Miami as an investment analyst. He’ll work with a team on real estate transactions, alternative private investments and other investing.
Nickolas Choquette
He credits the Academy’s Catalyst program, which requires students to develop, prototype and present ideas for innovations, as key to his understanding of the entreprenurial world.
The program “connected me with mentors and peers across disciplines, giving me early exposure to teamwork, product development and entrepreneurial problem-solving,” he said.
Sabrina Castro
Castro, who will earn her B.S. in Journalism this summer, join CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta as a news associate in a one-year rotational program.
She said the IA senior project was a highlight of her experience. For her project, she joined four other students in creating a communication tool for store employees to help prevent retail theft.
“This project … taught me how to problem-solve creatively, collaborate under pressure and push through challenges with great friends by my side,” she said.
Brown, a B.S. in Business Administration, is joining Oracle in Austin as a sales development representative in technology sales.
Hailey Brown
“I’m especially grateful for my time in the Innovation Academy, which helped me grow through lessons in entrepreneurship, design thinking and leadership skills that have prepared me to succeed in a fast-paced environment like Oracle,” she said.
Citty said that while every student’s story is unique, Choquette’s, Castro’s and Brown’s experience embody the IA’s focus on serving as a catalyst for growth, a platform for self-discovery, and a springboard for launching careers.
“Their stories serve as a reminder that the impact of the Innovation Academy extends far beyond the confines of the academy itself, shaping the world one person at a time,” he said.