Stefan Russo Dios
We are delighted to announce our Alumnus of the Year this year is Stefan Russo Dios. Stefan graduated from ELIS Murcia in June 2012 and now works in the US.
Stefan has been chosen for his commitment to society and the environment, his inclusive attitude to life and his upholding of the school values.
He is a hard-working, positive and charismatic member of ELIS Alumni whose links to the school are ongoing as he prepares to collaborate actively with the school.
How did the possibility of living in the US come about?
Having always wanted to study in the States I pursued the last year of Bilingual Business Management in Corvallis, Oregon. I became dead set on finding a professional opportunity in the West Coast and my girlfriend Marta also applied for a teaching position in Oregon through the Programa de Profesores Visitantes. Marta’s profile matched better a role on the East Coast, in Framingham, Massachusetts so after some research and with a little encouragement from family we decided it would be a great opportunity.
What are you doing professionally?
What is it that you like the most about your work?
I work for Lytx, a Video Telematics Software company out of San Diego CA. I started three years ago making over one hundred cold phone calls a day, In my current role as Senior Account Executive, I sell into larger accounts. This is my fourth role at Lytx which means things have been busy. I like the flexibility of having a remote job and I like the challenge and the reward of closing deals. What I don’t like about my role is the stress of constantly being up against a measurable goal.
To what extent do you think that your training at ELIS facilitated your current professional life?
I spent over sixteen years of my life at ELIS. I am now twenty-eight and realize that El Limonar International School ultimately provided me Privilege.
When I think about the number of children whose educational environment lacks things I took for granted, I feel extremely grateful. I have been incentivized to care about my outlook and do better. I travelled and was exposed to different cultures.
I was instilled values like equality, respect and dignity. ELIS made me better rounded, increasing my professional options and mobility. Take advantage of the opportunity you have in front of you!
What about your spare time?
What do you do to enjoy yourself when you’re not working?
My daily routine involves long walks with our dog Oliva which help me disconnect and stay active. I also love to cook and recently I have been getting into baking, especially bread so I spend a lot of time learning new recipes. The biggest outlet for me though is always mountain biking. It is so much fun, you work out, explore beautiful places and experience a big adrenaline rush. Living in Massachusetts means there is an off season so in the winter I move over to snowboarding.
Where do you see yourself in a few years time?
Ha! The million-dollar question…In all honesty, my plans are all over the place, one day I want to stay in the US, the next I want to start a family and buy a farm in Spain, I also tinker with the ideas of studying Architecture and of starting a mountain biking holiday company.
The reality is I try to take it a day at a time. We have about eighteen months on our current visa and then we might go back to Murcia to plan our next move.
The UK, France, Sweden are countries on my bucket list but I also think about moving somewhere completely different like Kenya, Chile or Morocco… it’s such a big world and so many options.
