Dominic Caprio, Master of Business Administration

As a first-generation student, Dominic Caprio dealt with some self-imposed pressure as an undergraduate.  He wanted to perform well in school and make his family proud.  Sometimes that pressure led him to focus on tasks that led to the grade more so than the learning itself. Interestingly, when he began studying for the graduate admissions test he discovered that the joy of learning comes when one stops focusing on a grade.  

In 2021, Caprio was juggling senior-level coursework, a job, and test prep. He worked with practice tests and set weekly studying goals where he focused on the material more than the grade.  His diligence led to a gain of more than 150 points on the GMAT.

Now a 4.0 graduate student who will graduate with an MBA in 2023, Caprio feels that he has finally found his passion for academics, saying that, for the first time in his academic career, he is eager to attend class, genuinely enjoys the lessons and finds himself excited to complete assignments. He found that when he focuses on the lessons more than the grades, good grades follow. 

As an undergraduate, he was a secretary of USF’s Volleyball Club and participated in the Corporate Mentor Program, which connects students with mentors from the business community.  He also served as a resident assistant and worked as an office assistant for USF’s College of The Arts. Today, he works as an assistant resident life coordinator for USF Housing, where he supervises a dozen RAs and supports social justice educational programming.