---
title: "Alumni Spotlight: Ray Bartolomucci, Class of 2017"
description: As an Italian-American, I knew that attending JCU would be the perfect opportunity to, get in touch with my Italian roots.
---

[Admissions Blog - John Cabot University](https://blog.johncabot.edu)

# [Alumni Spotlight: Ray Bartolomucci, Class of 2017](https://blog.johncabot.edu/degree-seeking/alumni-spotlight-ray-bartolomucci)

 Written by [John Cabot University](https://blog.johncabot.edu/author/jcuadmissions) | September 16, 2020 7:56:56 AM Z

## A Leap of Faith

Choosing to finish my degree at John Cabot University was a huge leap of faith - and it was the best decision of my life! My name is Ray Bartolomucci, and I am an Italian-American from Pleasanton, California. I started my college career by accepting a scholarship to play Division One baseball in Indiana. However, after two years, I concluded that I simply wasn't happy, and began searching for something else. I felt burned out, and realized that I could do more with my life than just play baseball. After spending some time looking at schools online, John Cabot University popped up on Google. I clicked the link, took a leap of faith, and before I knew it I was packing my bags and on my way to Rome. Luckily, JCU accepted most of my credits, which was a huge relief during my [transfer](https://admissions.johncabot.edu/academics/how-to-transfer-to-jcu/) process.

As an Italian-American, I knew that attending JCU would be the perfect opportunity to get in touch with my Italian roots. During my three years in Rome, I was reunited with my cousins and re-connected with my family's culture. I cannot express how rewarding it was to live, work, and study in a country that I felt so connected to. My most vivid memory of my Rome experience was just walking the streets every day and thinking to myself in awe, "How did I get here?" Every single day I woke up grateful for this amazing experience, and for the memories I was making along the way.

## From JCU to CEO

Along with an excellent cultural experience, the academic atmosphere at John Cabot ignited my fire for entrepreneurship. If you want to own your own business someday, I would strongly encourage you to reach out to Professor Silvia Pulino. She instilled in me a passion for entrepreneurship. More specifically, I would advise you to reach out to the JCU [Institute for Entrepreneurship](https://www.johncabot.edu/entrepreneurship-institute/) and start brainstorming ideas that can realistically become a business one day. Choose your own future; don't let others dictate what you are capable of! Although my main academic focus was business-oriented, I also enjoyed many other courses, and one of my favorites was actually Counter Culture in America with Professor Lanzone.

Life after graduation has been different but refreshing. Upon graduating, I felt ready to enter the real world. I saw this as my opportunity to start working to make money, but also to begin my own business ventures. After returning to California, I began managing my dad's [Italian restaurants](https://www.strizzis.com/). At the same time, I became cofounder and CEO of [Roopairs LLC](https://www.roopairs.com/) in August of 2017. I have been managing all facets of the business, which means I have a great deal of responsibility.

## Today

Working two jobs was tough, but I needed money to fund my own business projects, and I was happy to return to the restaurant industry; I had helped in my father's restaurants from a young age. However, as of three months ago, I took a leave of absence and moved to San Luis Obispo to begin the Cal Poly Summer Accelerator program. Cal Poly chose eight businesses to join their Summer Accelerator Program, and I am so grateful that our company made the cut. They provided us with a free office space, connected us with leading mentors, and even wrote us a check for $10,000.  I can honestly say that my [degree in Business Administration](https://www.johncabot.edu/business-administration/) truly prepared me to start my own business after graduation. It's thanks to my JCU education that I am where I am today.

In an era of tough competition in the business world, I've learned that an entrepreneur must have resilience. Starting a company is a real roller coaster. There are so many obstacles that continue to present themselves, but it's *how* you overcome these obstacles that makes you a successful entrepreneur. My advice to any fellow Business Administration majors out there would be this: follow your heart. Do things in life that make you happy. Work hard. Don't wait for someone else to make your dream a reality.

Ray Bartolomucci  
Class of 2017  
Business Administration Major  
Hometown: Pleasanton, California, USA

[View full post](https://blog.johncabot.edu/degree-seeking/alumni-spotlight-ray-bartolomucci)

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