MBA Student Perseveres Against Overwhelming Odds

In Romania, Mircea (Mitch) Rusu, probably never heard of Horatio Alger.

But this remarkable student could easily be a role model for one of Alger's diligent, industrious, and persevering heroes.

Alone in a strange land, not knowing the language, and with only $50.00 in his pocket, he is achieving the rags to riches success that Alger detailed in his more than 120 novels.

In a few months, Rusu will-in this order-receive an MBA degree from Penn State (in May); get married (in June), and take a position in the corporate finance department of the Ford Motor Company (in July).

"I'm proud to say I built my own life, which is what I wanted," he said. "I've been making choices I wanted to make and so far I've accomplished a lot. I came here at age 22 not knowing the language and have managed to get a job with a top company in the world. It was just a dream for me and now I'm living that dream."

Rusu was a university student and professional water polo athlete in Bucharest, Romania when the 1989 revolution overthrew the communist regime.

"I decided to be a part of it," he said. "We were protesting on the streets and the police and Army were shooting at us. It went on for two weeks and was horrible because many people died. One of my friends was shot and killed. We thought the revolution would change the country, but it was a big disappointment."

In 1993, while in Buffalo, NY, as a member of the Romania National Water Polo Team competing in the World Cup, he decided to remain in the United States."

"I had been thinking about it for some time and decided to make my move at JFK Airport since it was a public place. I asked an airport security guard to walk with me to the coach and a representative of the Romanian government and I asked for my papers and passport. I was threatened, but I decided I wanted to stay in the United States and live a new life.

"I didn't have any money, but I was able to borrow $50.00 from a friend on the team. I only had two little bags with summer tee shirts and shorts, but I wanted to be free. I wanted to live my own life and be able to do what I wanted when I wanted and not have anybody dictate which path I should take.

"I knew it was my only chance. If I didn't do it then, I might not have the chance to do it again. I remember walking out of the airport thinking this is it. This is America. Which way am I going?"

Before making the decision to change his life, Rusu was able to talk to his parents in Romania.

"I tried to call them from a public phone in Buffalo," he recalled, "but I didn't understand the operator's instructions. I asked a campus security guard for help and he explained it for me. I told them what I planned to do and, basically, asked for their permission.

"Like any mother, my mother was very upset. But my dad said 'this is everyone's dream. If this is your chance, take it now or you might regret it for the rest of your life.' In a way, I had their blessing and permission."

Rusu had heard about a Romanian community in Reading, PA and knew he had a very distant relative there. He got directions to the bus terminal and bought a ticket for $32.00. After a short time in Reading, he enrolled at the Penn Sate Berks Campus, where going to school and working to pay for his education became a way of life. He worked the 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift at a can factory and took classes beginning at 8 a.m.

The lowest point in his new life came four months after moving to Reading when, in Alger-like fashion, he was stricken ill and rushed to the hospital, where it was found his appendix had burst. According to the doctor, had he arrived at the hospital any later, he would have died. Since he didn't have medical coverage, he had to leave the hospital shortly after surgery and cared for himself at home, cleaning and changing the dressing.

"While I was still recovering from the surgery, in the winter (blizzard of '93), I had to leave the house I had been staying at, and again, I found my self homeless. Fortunately, my English teacher, Nancy Linton, found a place for me to stay. I am very grateful to her for all her help, and we've have stayed in touch over the years."

In 1996, he came to the University Park campus and received a B.S. degree in finance in 1999. Several faculty members, including his adviser, Chris Muscarella, professor of finance, suggested he apply to Penn State's MBA program.

"I was accepted into the program which is very demanding," he said. "There are a lot of very high quality and intelligent students. During the first year of the program, I also was working three jobs-delivering pizza, doing research for a faculty member and working as a bouncer. There was a lot of pressure."

Rocki-Lee Dewitt, associate dean for the MBA program in Penn State's Smeal College of Business Administration, described Rusu as a committed, inquisitive student.

"He always has behaved as if getting an education was a priority," she said. "At the same time, he was making tough tradeoffs because of working so much to put himself through school."

The hard work paid off last summer when he got an internship with the Ford Motor Company that led to a permanent job offer. His fiancé, Jessica Wallace, who will graduate in May with a BS degree in management science and information systems, also has accepted a job with Ford.

Along the way, Rusu, who at age 30 still has the physique of a professional athlete and now speaks English well, found time to work with the water polo team, a club sport at Penn State. With his help, the team won the Mid-Atlantic Conference in 1998 and finished second in the national championship.

He doesn't regret his decision not to return to Romania and is convinced that education is the key to success.

"Sometimes it's actually sad to see people in the United States not take advantage of the many opportunities they have," he said. "But everyone has his own life. Maybe that's the beauty of America and freedom. You can choose the life you want. But, to me, it's a shame because people could do more.

"Everything looks hard to achieve. I believe the hardest part is to start. Once you start, you then do your best. You have to take the chances that are being offered. If you don't take them when they come, you might miss the big one.