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Isabella Maria Lozano wants a shot at the big leagues — just not the way most people may think.
A first-generation American, the sports management and creative advertising double major from the University of Miami hopes to be among the growing number of diverse, female executives in professional sports.
Lozano credits that opportunity to her Bright Futures Scholarship from the Florida Lottery.
Born in Miami to Colombian parents , Lozano earned high marks at the International Studies Preparatory Academy, a foreign-language magnet program near her home in South Miami. Lozano and her parents knew she would need scholarships to afford college.
When she learned about Bright Futures, Lozano was committed to earning the scholarship. A 1400 on the SAT earned Lozano the Florida Medallion Scholars Award, which gives students 100% of the available money.
The award opened doors statewide for her. Along with UM, Florida International University, Florida State University and the University of Florida accepted her. Lozano also was accepted at New York University.
Ultimately, Lozano decided to save money by living at home — a short commute from UM’s Coral Gables campus. With the Bright Futures Scholarship, several grants and the university’s President’s Scholarship, most of her costs are paid for. Isabella Maria Lozano wants a shot at the big leagues — just not the way most people may think.
At the University of Miami, Lozano has been one of those students whom many admissions counselors are proud to have accepted. She stepped out of her comfort zone to become a Great Start counselor and Orientation Fellow, helping first-year students transition into university life.
It’s no stretch that Lozano would choose sports administration. She is a fan of both tennis and soccer; her favorite teams are Inter Miami FB and Colombia’s Millonarios Bogotá, which she follows closely with her father. In fact, the Canes’ renowned athletics programs helped seal the deal when deciding which school to attend.
Lozano hopes her studies, along with planned internships in marketing and sports management, will set her up for success.
“As a young Hispanic woman who dreams to reach the pro leagues one day … I aspire to work among others who also share an appreciation for sports,” says Lozano, whose life is unfolding as she saw it on the “vision board” that is still hanging in her childhood bedroom.
“Anything is possible, you just have to put your mind to it,” she says. “I thank Bright Futures for getting me one step closer to my goal.”
ABOUT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY / BRIGHT FUTURES SCHOLARSHIP
The Florida Lottery puts education in the spotlight with the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Lottery is committed to helping students shine inside and outside of the classroom so they can have brighter tomorrows. Since 1988, the Florida Lottery has contributed more than $42 billion to education and has sent more than 917,000 students to college on Bright Futures Scholarships.
*As of July 2022
