Arielle Quartuccio
Arielle Quartuccio is a future shaper.
“A dream of mine has been to own a company that drills water wells in East Africa. My hope is to bottle the water and market it with the purpose of aiding the water supply and incorporating missions in that country.”
OBU international business senior Arielle Quartuccio has always had an interest in STEM studies (science, technology, engineering and math). With that mindset, she was planning to attend a state university and major in petroleum engineering. However, the Lord specifically and strategically began opening doors that led her in a different direction.
Divinely Opened Doors
“An unexpected phone call came during my high school senior year from an OBU track coach offering me a scholarship in track,” she said. “I knew OBU was a great university. My dad was an alumni, and I had been on campus in earlier years attending Super Summer.”
Not long after that phone conversation, a sequence of events unfolded that drew Quartuccio’s attention closer to Bison Hill. She attended an OBU preview day, participated in a Night on the Hill recruitment event, and was offered attractive scholarships. She began sensing that this was the college God was directing her to attend.
“I specifically remember talking to an adviser in the school of business who had experience in working with wells and engineering. His experience was in line with my exact interests and he really encouraged me towards my focus of international business. I felt this was such a confirmation that the Lord had a future for me at OBU,” she said.
Unexpected Loss
Since her first days on campus, Quartuccio was active on the track team, a commitment which required considerable hours of practice, workouts and track meets. During that inaugural year, Quartuccio’s track coach passed away which was quite a jolt to her and fellow athletes. The following year, the worldwide pandemic halted all spring activities and cancelled her opportunity to compete in track for the spring semester. Quartuccio also experienced the loss of her grandfather and an uncle during that first year.
“These were tough experiences early on. I felt a significant sense of loss and disappointment. The events of those first two years were completely unexpected, but through it all I really bonded with my teammates and classmates,” she said. “I relied heavily on my faith and knew that God was in control of all of these things.”
Not long later, Quartuccio experienced the loss of her grandmother who she was very close to since childhood.
“I found the services offered on campus through the Kemp Marriage and Family Therapy Center to be really helpful. My business professor, Dr. Houghton, was so encouraging at that time and offered me resources on grief. I also felt very supported by the leadership of Coach Maston during my difficult track experiences. This is what makes OBU such a special place. I am very thankful to have personal relationships with faculty who know me and extend this type of concern and support,” she said.
Entrepreneur Experiences
In addition to athletics, Quartuccio exhibits a remarkable blend of academics and activities on campus. She is a student in the Dickinson School of Business and served as president of Enactus during her junior year and is continuing in that role as a senior. Enactus is an international student organization that connects student, academic and business leaders through entrepreneurial-based projects seeking to transform lives and shape a more sustainable world.
Her Enactus involvement has expanded Quartuccio’s understanding of the impact business can make in the local community and the world at large. She competes in national competition, serves at local agencies, consults with companies on how to improve their processes, and is strengthening her ability to collaborate with team members. The Enactus club developed OBU’s Good Thing Pantry, a student food bank for those in need.
“I continue to realize how the core values of Enactus illustrate the way entrepreneur actions can help make a better world,” she said.
As a student, Quartuccio is learning extensive business fundamentals that broaden her knowledge and continually inspire her dreams.
“I am so thankful for the team of business professors who instruct and challenge me to learn all I can. They are instrumental to my success and continue to ignite my love for entrepreneurship and international business,” she said.
A Spectrum of Service
Outside of Quartuccio’s leadership in the School of Business, she is also active in OBU’s Student Government Association. She has served as senator during multiple years, as well as senator-at-large and is now the senior vice-president. Additionally, Quartuccio is a committee chair for the OSGA (Oklahoma Student Government Association) which brings student leaders from across the state together to discuss the important issues of the day and advocate to the state regents and the Oklahoma legislature.
Quartuccio is in her second year serving as treasurer of the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature, a statewide student-run mock government that replicates all three branches of Oklahoma state government providing the opportunity to write, debate and pass legislation about important and relevant issues.
As well as being a member of OBU Theta social club, Quartuccio values the rewarding and interactive time she has had serving as a herdie tour guide to prospective students and families through the Office of Admissions.
An area of leadership that has been particularly meaningful to Quartuccio was that of being a SALLT (Salt and Light Leadership Training) scholar. This intensive nine-month program through OBU includes weekly meetings featuring curriculum and area speakers who inspire members to walk with God and leverage their influence for the good of others and their community.
A most recent and exciting area of community service for Quartuccio is working as an intern several hours a week for Water4. The mission of the Water 4 organization is to eradicate the world’s water crisis through local, missional businesses. The internship is something that falls directly in line with Quartuccio’s long range goals of helping with water supply in struggling countries.
A Worldwide Vision
Since childhood, Quartuccio has played an active role in Operation Christmas Child (OCC) through Samaritan’s Purse.
“I always remember packing shoe boxes as a kid. When our family changed churches in my late elementary years, I realized that church did not have an OCC program. My mother encouraged me to make a presentation to the pastor to start one. I did, and a program began,” she said.
“I was later selected as a youth to travel abroad to the country of Georgia with OCC and accompany a team of people to hand deliver boxes to children. I was so honored that someone my age could have this opportunity. This is an example of how service to others is not dependent on age. Watching the reactions of joy and excitement from those children overseas when they opened their boxes is something I will never forget,” she said.
Today, Quartuccio serves as a regional ambassador and spokesperson for Operation Christmas Child. She has been instrumental in executing a program on the OBU campus and increasing awareness of the Operation Christmas Child program to the university community.
A Look to the Future
The heartfelt compassion Quartuccio shows for these children across the globe is the same compassion that propels her to continue her mission and dream of drilling water wells in Africa. If her demonstration of service to her schoolwork, classmates, university, community, state and fellow man are any indication of where she is headed, the fulfillment of drilling wells in African may likely be part of her future. Just like her initial path to attend OBU, God will continue to divinely direct her steps with what lies ahead.
When asked what she believes makes one a future shaper, Quartuccio replied, “We shape the future by one act or influence at a time. Even a small impact makes a difference. Each adds up to create a greater good and movement. It takes individual bricks to build a wall. So, we keep making a difference step by step, and in doing so, we are shaping the future along the way.”