Arturo Fraile Beltran ’27 started his college journey playing golf for a school in Minnesota, but neither the sport nor the environment met his expectations. Originally from Spain, Beltran knew he wanted to go to college in the U.S. His plan was to attend college in Minnesota, play golf for two years, then transfer to a school that would offer him more opportunities. When playing golf didn’t work out, Beltran decided to focus on his academics, and when it came time to explore other colleges, Azusa Pacific University offered everything he was looking for.
Beltran is a finance and business analytics double major. He’s always had a mind for numbers and aspires to be like his dad, who also works in finance. “There was a time when my dad worked at home and looked so impressive picking up calls and working on many projects that required his brain to be active all the time,” Beltran said. “During my last three years of school in Spain, I chose what classes to take, and I enjoyed classes like economics.” Analyzing data, working with numbers, and seeing aspects of human behavior in finance intrigued Beltran. While looking for a school in California, he was impressed by APU’s finance program and knew it would help him grow and achieve his goals. By adding a business analytics major to complement his finance courses, Beltran will not only enhance his data analysis skills but also be able to stay in the U.S. longer on his international student visa.
Already excited about APU’s finance program, Beltran was also drawn to the university’s Christian community and location near Los Angeles. He was awarded the Provost’s Scholarship ($23,000 per year), which decreased his cost of attending APU by 40 percent. “As an international student, I don’t have access to FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or some other forms of financial aid, so this scholarship from APU has been a huge blessing in allowing me to pursue my Bachelor’s degree here.”
One of Beltran’s favorite memories from his time in the program was competing in the School of Business and Management's (SBM) annual stock competition twice. Each spring, students pick a stock from the stock market and have to convince the audience and the SBM board why they should invest in it. In 2025, Beltran came in second place, and last spring, he won first place and a cash prize.
While Beltran has enjoyed and grown from the events and projects in the program, his experience has been positively impacted by the everyday moments with his professors, who recognize the importance of mentorship. Finance class sizes are intentionally kept small, allowing students to work closely with professors. “Sometimes my peers and I stick around after class to talk to professors about work opportunities, finance-related topics, or just about life,” Beltran said. Getting to know his professors outside of class has also helped Beltran navigate college and feel confident in his plans. “I needed help figuring out my degree and graduation date, and I sought advice from Dr. Courtney Davis,” Beltran said. “My professors call me by name when they see me around campus and ask how I’m doing. It’s always nice to feel like you’re part of a community and not just another student to them.”
Faith integration in and out of the classroom is a draw for many APU students, and
it has allowed Beltran to connect with his peers. At his school in Minnesota, Beltran
felt disconnected from his faith but continued to pray and believe in God’s plan for
him. At APU, he has been able to explore and deepen his faith. “I feel that connection
with God here,” he said.
Living on campus in a Christ-centered community has also shown Beltran the importance of being open to connecting with others. By being open to building friendships and saying yes to new opportunities, he has made lifelong friends. “When you live on campus, you see the same people every day and get close to them,” he said. “It’s cool to have the college experience of living away from home, going to events, and just hanging out with friends. It’s pretty easy to be involved here because it’s a small campus.” As an international student, Beltran wanted to be intentional about making connections on campus. When asked about what he would say to other international students considering APU, he shared that it’s a great place to be. “If you put yourself out there, the APU community will feel like a family.”
Beltran graduates next spring, and he’s turned his focus to post-graduation plans. APU’s location near LA creates opportunities for Beltran to work in one of the world’s largest economies and stay in the U.S. after graduation. Eventually, he would like to travel to Mexico to pursue a master’s degree. “Someday I would love to earn my master’s, pursue a career, and raise a family there,” he said. “My dream job is working in sales and trading for a bank and getting enough experience to own a hedge fund investment company.” While Beltran isn’t sure exactly where he’ll end up after graduation, he feels prepared to say yes to any opportunities that present themselves with the encouragement of his professors and strong faith. “My professors have shown me who I want to be in the future and what I have to do to get there,” he said. “Combining hard work with learning to put everything in God’s hands and see what happens will help me achieve my goals after graduation.”