Class of 2009 graduate Yvonne Green thought she knew exactly where her University of Richmond degree would lead her. As a French and Latin American, Latino, & Iberian Studies double major, she anticipated her future would include international service with the State Department or perhaps with a nonprofit that provided international aid.

Almost two decades after graduating, Green currently works in consumer research and analytics for Nike, Inc., one of the world’s largest athletic footwear and apparel brands. She laughs at the contrast between where she thought her career would take her and where she ended up. “My 21-year-old self would have been like, ‘No way,’” she said. “I had no idea where I was going.”

Last semester, she participated in virtual conversations with students during a UR Career Services program that connects students with alumni for a one-on-one session, known as Career Conversations. Her advice: “It doesn’t have to always be a straight path to your destination,” she said. “It’s okay to pivot.”

Her career didn’t follow a straight line – and, to her, that’s exactly why it worked.

“Yvonne’s experience shows how UR positions students to pursue more than one path to success and fulfillment,” said Damon Yarnell, associate provost and executive director of career development.

Study abroad as a turning point

Green points to her first study abroad experience in 2008 — a summer program in Seville, Spain — as a catalyst. “If you can study abroad, please do it,” she said. “That experience set a lot of other things in motion in my life.” Green later spent a senior semester in France and said she wishes she had gone abroad earlier.

Her global experience went beyond academics and language immersion. She learned how to navigate unfamiliar settings and gain confidence. “You grow as a person when you’re forced to come out of your environment and see the world differently,” Green said. She was the recipient of an academic scholarship that included dedicated funds for global studies.

The New Jersey native landed her first role after graduation with the Department of the Army, where she analyzed policy. The job came through a university connection, rather than a formal recruiting pipeline. Green encouraged students to lean into the Richmond network. “These connections can introduce you to things you didn’t even have on your radar,” she said.

After a few years in the workforce, the international spark drew Green back overseas. This time, she landed at the University College London, where she earned a master’s degree in global migration. There, again, a relationship with a classmate opened a door for her to work with a boutique market research agency that needed short-term help making Spanish-language “mystery shopping” calls to businesses in Mexico. She was used to speaking Spanish at home with her Dominican and Honduran parents and had studied Spanish literature as a core requirement at UR.

Turning academics into an advantage

She returned to the United States in 2018 and joined C Space, a New York-based consumer research agency, working with major brands, including L’Oréal, Anheuser-Busch, and Google. But after four years on the agency side, Green wanted to see how research translated into real decisions. “I was ready to focus on one brand and really see the research through from end to end,” she said.

At Nike's Oregon offices, Green focuses on qualitative consumer research. “I talk to people,” she said simply. She studies why consumers make the choices they do and translates those insights to teams across marketing, product design, marketplace and merchandising.

Last September, Green was promoted to a senior role within the Jordan brand, where she now supports leadership directly.

“Yvonne drew on her full UR experience — academic interests, study abroad, campus engagement, and rich relationships in the Spider network — to build her career,” Yarnell said. “Her achievements are unique, but, in many ways, they exemplify what’s possible at Richmond.”