Tawfik Abedali

abedaltk@mail.uc.edu

What was your major at Butler? Have you pursued any graduate degrees post-Butler?

I majored in International Business at Butler University and did a minor in Economics. I graduated in May 2022, and in August 2022, I began law school at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, where I am working towards completing my JD by May 2025.

Where are you currently working? Where have you worked before now?

So, right now as I am in law school that takes up most of my time. During my time at Butler, I worked at places such as AgReliant and LHD Benefit Advisors. After I finished Butler, during the summer before law school, I worked at Seven Corners Travel Insurance as a seasonal Business Analyst to make more money to pay for school. This past summer, I worked as a law clerk in a small firm in Fairfax, Virginia and am currently applying for positions for Summer 2024.

Have you worked or traveled internationally since graduation? If yes, where? If not, do you anticipate going abroad in the future?

One of my biggest pieces of advice for you all is to pursue a travel abroad opportunity! I was at Butler from 2018-2022, which meant that my final three years were unfortunately affected by COVID, which limited study abroad opportunities. Before I came to Butler, I had traveled to England, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, and Jordan. Since graduating from Butler, I went to France in the summer of 2022, and while I have not traveled abroad since then, I plan to travel in 2025 to Europe once I have taken the bar exam.

What advice would you give an IB major who is not sure about what they want to do with their major after graduation?

Honestly besides traveling abroad during Butler, my advice would be to have an open mind and take opportunities when they arise. Every single job I worked, there was always a time where I felt like “Am I the right person? Do I belong here to do this? And the answer is always yes. Not only that, find something that you feel passionate about. I always was interested in the law and now that I am in law school and have some choices in my coursework (law schools makes everyone take the same classes their first year), I can take courses that fill both my law and international business interests and backgrounds.

Are there any skills (soft skills, language skills, communications, etc.) that you would advise that IB majors prioritize while still in school?

From what I remember, the IB curriculum requires that IB students take a language. If there is a specific country or opportunity where you want to work after graduation, make sure you can speak the language! If you want to work in France after Butler, make sure you take French classes! You may not be fluent in it, but understanding the language will help you and your chances. Not only that, but I would also suggest minoring in something like finance or economics or marketing to help your job search. This will help your job search because it shows that you also have an understanding in these other areas that can lead to opportunities down the line to find jobs abroad.