A self-described “clueless immigrant kid,” Jose Daniel Coronel came from Venezuela to the U.S. six years ago not knowing much about American society. He struggled to speak fluent English. He knew nothing about universities or professions.
What he did know was that he was at a major disadvantage and that he would have to play catch up to overcome the linguistic, cultural, and educational barriers to make him competitive with his peers.
Fast forward six years, and he has a lot to be proud of.
Coronel is on track to graduate in May with dual degrees in accounting and business analytics and information systems. He also has an audit job lined up at Ernst & Young, one of the largest accounting firms in the world.
While at USF, he completed two internships with prestigious accounting firms — Ernst & Young and Grant Thornton. During his internship with Grant Thornton, he helped develop a service idea called Purple Paladins that won a regional competition.
Coronel has a quiet strength that has led peers to vote him into leadership roles with student organizations, including Beta Alpha Psi, an internationally ranked accounting honors organization.
“You couldn’t find a more well-rounded college student,” said one of his accounting professors.
In May, he will be the first in his family to graduate from an American university.
Even with a promising career ahead of him, he continues to work on improving his skill set and giving back to the USF community, a community that has helped him grow academically and professionally from that “clueless immigrant kid.”
25 Under 25 Program 