When Cristian and Juan Pablo “JP” Vargas hear their names called in succession at Marquette’s undergraduate Commencement ceremony May 10, they certainly won’t be the first brothers to graduate in the same class from the university.
They may, however, set a record for most combined majors between two siblings.
Seven.
Cristian and JP will graduate from the College of Business Administration with seven majors between them.
From Central America to the Midwest
Growing up in Panama, the Vargas brothers attended Colegio Javier, a prestigious Jesuit school in Panama City. JP applied to 25 colleges across Panama, Italy and the U.S., including Jesuit institutions like Santa Clara and Le Moyne, but ultimately chose Marquette sight unseen for two specific reasons.
“I ended up coming here mainly because of the cold weather and the AIM program,” JP says.
JP knew in high school he wanted to pursue a career in finance. The Accelerating Ingenuity in Markets (AIM) program at Marquette, a nationally renowned finance program with concentrations in CFA (Certified Financial Analyst) and investments or fintech, wasn’t yet a major when JP arrived in August 2021. But he saw the opportunities AIM provided in addition to his initial finance major.
“I knew the AIM program would allow me to have internships and experiences that other schools did not offer,” JP says. “I also did a lot of research in my college search and learned how much Marquette believes in cura personalis, and I think you are able to see that with the professors. It’s not just about how well you are doing in class, they also look out for you as a person.”
Cristian also picked up on the presence of cura personalis at Marquette even though he didn’t initially choose it. Unlike his younger brother, Cristian had no interest in a cold weather school and didn’t even apply to Marquette out of high school; he went to Florida State University for the tropical climate — and their business program.
But Cristian quickly found that FSU’s business program didn’t offer as much hands-on learning as others, such as Marquette’s AIM program, which allows students to manage portfolios. He made the decision to transfer after his sophomore year. And, he says, it was a conversation during his freshman year while visiting his brother in Milwaukee that made an impact.
“A big part of my transfer here was the information systems faculty, especially Dr. Terence Ow,” Cristian says. “I wasn’t a student here, but he still gave me great advice. Every school I applied to had great academics. I think it ultimately came down to the people.”
Striving for excellence
“Our high school was very tough,” JP says. “It was just, ‘go, go, go, go.’”
The curriculum allowed students to specialize in certain areas, such as biology or business. And while most students took one at a time, the Vargas brothers took three at once. That self-imposed rigor paid dividends at Marquette.
“First semester here, I took 15 credits. I thought it was so light,” JP says. “Since then, I haven’t taken less than 20 credits in a semester.”
That’s not to say it was all easy for him. He recalls a semester when he faced burnout, taking 22 credits while interviewing for high-level finance internships and participating in extracurriculars like curling club and intramural soccer.
Seven majors combined is the definition of insanity.
Johnnie Brooker, fellow graduating senior and tour guide
“I would get into the AIM Lab at 5:30 in the morning and just start learning and preparing for interviews,” he says. “Then I would go to class. And then when I’m done with class, I would go to the dining hall and then come back to the business school. I wouldn’t get back to my room until 10 p.m.”
Cristian’s workload was similar. But the brothers learned to be more organized and efficient, especially as they started adding majors.
“St. Ignatius used to say, one thing God asks of people is that they strive for excellence with the gifts they’ve received,” Cristian says. “When we came to college, we were searching for what’s excellent about us and how we would strive for that.”
Ambassadors for Marquette
JP decided to quadruple major in AIM, accounting, finance and information systems; Cristian triple-majored in AIM, information systems and finance.
“Their work ethic is unmatched and is highly respected on campus,” says Johnnie Brooker, a graduating senior majoring in journalism and political science. “Seven majors combined is the definition of insanity. However, they made it look easy.”
Brooker has worked alongside JP as a tour guide all four years. When Cristian came to campus as a junior, his brother recruited him to the team, using some of his business acumen, of course.
“I got a bonus when he got hired,” JP says with a grin.
Together, the brothers have given hundreds of tours, including tours to candidates for university leadership positions, been asked to sit on panels and assisted with admissions events and tours held in Spanish. Cristian has also been commended as a tour guide with a transfer student’s perspective.
“Both of them are outstanding ambassadors for the College of Business, Marquette and Milwaukee,” says Kate Bracciano, director of visits and special programs in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. “It has been a true joy to have them on our team, and I am incredibly grateful for their combined six years of service to our office. I know they will continue to be ambassadors and live out the Jesuit values beyond their years as tour guides.”
Through the business school, they’ve already gotten a jump on representing Marquette outside of campus. Last fall, they won first place at the Latin American Stock Exchange (Latinex) Stock Sales Pitch Competition, and in the spring, JP and his AIM classmates were finalists at the NIBC Investment Banking Competition.
Now, the brothers have their eyes on real-world jobs in equity research. They’re both interviewing for positions on Wall Street and back home in Panama City, with hopes of starting at a major firm. And when that happens, they’ll be ready to help the next generation of business students.
“You can actually feel the difference in being part of the Marquette community, especially the alumni,” Cristian says. “They give a lot to us and it’s impressive how the Marquette community builds you up. That’s something that I’m looking forward to continuing to be in because it’s been so great for me.”
