Erik Ingenluijff

"Coming to Briar Cliff has been one of the best things that could have happened to me." says Erik Ingenluijff ('19), a senior business major from Bogota, Colombia.

Active on the golf team and Briar Cliff's award-winning ENACTUS team, Erik knew Briar Cliff was the place for him before he even came to campus. "Briar Cliff definitely stood out to me from other schools because of the community and coaching staff," he recalls. People like golf coach Ben Irlbeck inspired Erik to come to The Cliff and experience the Briar Cliff community firsthand.

That culture of support didn't stop after he became a Charger. In fact, it only became more prevalent. "So many people have made my BCU experience an extraordinary one," says Erik. "My teammates, faculty and coaches have all been extremely supportive."

During his first year, Erik was the only international student on the golf team. Any fears he had about this being a challenge were alleviated as his teammates became his Charger family. "All of my teammates were extremely welcoming and made me feel at home. I am grateful for my teammates then and now for making my experience as good as it has been."

Saying Erik is busy would be an understatement. When the business major with minors in marketing and accounting isn't on the golf course, he's working hard in the classroom and with the Enactus team to learn how to make an impact in the business world.

"Time management is by far the biggest lesson I learned," he admits. "When I came to school, I was lucky to have people that helped me use my time efficiently between practice, class and work."

Graduation is just around the corner for Erik, who will receive his diploma in May 2019. After graduating, he intends to pursue a master's in business administration in operations management or finance. Looking back, his advice to prospective and current Chargers is to make the most out of their experience at The Cliff.

"Take advantage of the school's size and be involved with all of the organizations that interest you. That's definitely something you can't do at larger schools."