CBA Welcomes Our Newest Advisor: Josiel Marrufo

We would like to introduce you to the newest member of the College of Business Administration’s Advising Staff, Josiel Marrufo. Josiel joined the Student Services Advising Team this May and will serve as an Academic Advisor for undergraduate CBA students. Please read below to learn more about Josiel!

Favorite Chicago Activities/ Places: When it comes to exploring Chicago, I enjoy the variety of events that the change of seasons are able to provide like parades, fests, and winter traditions. Aside from Chicago events, I also appreciate the diversity of food found in the city and love to dine at new establishments with a new taste.

Favorite Chicago Restaurants: Crisp Korean BBQ on Broadway is my go to place for fried chicken wings and French fries. They never fail to fulfill my sauce cravings! El Barco on Ashland is also a city favorite of mine as their seafood and steak platter completes my appetite for spicy Mexican food.

Favorite Dessert in Chicago: When it comes to sweets, my girlfriend usually knows exactly where to go, and Margie’s Candies off Western is my favorite diner for ice cream. The ambiance and setting are perfect for anyone looking for a ‘sweet’ date.

Hometown: Chicago Heights, IL

Tell us a little about your personal/professional background? I graduated twice from Northern Illinois University with my B.S. in Spanish and Kinesiology and continued to attain my M.Ed. in Counseling, Adult & Higher Education. While at NIU, I was able to take advantage of many great opportunities and experiences by being a part of our student government, intern at our campus cultural centers, and being active in various social and academic student organizations.

In the past, I have gained experience in program coordinating, student organization advising, and mentorship programs. I have presented at the national Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education conference. I have also been a Chicago Scholars counselor for two years in which we specialize in working with underrepresented students that are looking to apply to colleges and universities across the nation.

How did you end up working at UIC? I was able to become an advisor for the college of business after being a full-time graduate student and assistant to the Director of Retention at NIU. In my most recent prior position, I worked with academic organizations named Black Male Initiative (BMI) & Supporting Opportunity for Latinos (SOL) where our common goal is to graduate college. UIC was my ideal location for work, as I knew I wanted to stay close to the loop and not far from my family. I also admired the diversity UIC had and looked forward to continuing my work with students with diverse and nontraditional backgrounds.

What are you most excited to do in your new role? I am most excited to get to know our student population and continue my work in guiding students that come from nontraditional backgrounds. Working with transfer and underrepresented students is extremely exciting for me and I look forward to creating bridges to resources and building lasting networks in their field of study and career.

Lastly, I also look forward to establishing relationships on campus with my colleagues and peers so that as a whole, we are able to provide students the best services available.

What critical information should students know about? Students should know that I am here to provide service that reaches further than advising and that I expect to be a resource in many ways. As I familiarize myself with UIC, I look forward to learning anything I can about our students and appreciate regular conversations that pertain to sports, food, and overall goals. My office will always be open to our students!