Neil Ihde '94

Calling:

Entrepreneur, Life IQ

Graduated:

1994

Majors:

Psychology and Sociology

His Life Today:

After graduating from USF, Neil Ihde earned an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy. Next, he worked with challenging adolescents in a variety of clinical psychology settings, then moved into organizational psychology where he developed management and leadership training programs. In 2006, he started his own speaking and consulting company, Life IQ. He has worked with nearly 20 Fortune 500 companies, as well as individuals and organizations from around the world. He met his wife, Dr. Deb Ihde '93 at USF; they have two children.

USF Develops Character

Ihde says USF not only delivers quality education, it also builds character. "Students can go a lot of different places to get their education, but what made our time at USF so impactful was the fact that we grew spiritually and emotionally, as well as academically," he says.

Learning to Succeed Through Failure

At USF he matured, in large part through honest feedback. He credits USF professors and staff for teaching him many life lessons: like "good enough" is not always good enough, and if he did not measure up there would be consequences. "USF allowed me to fail, and I'm glad I got to do it in a safe environment because the inevitable failure in the real world is much harsher," says Ihde.

USF Helped Build Confidence

Ihde was involved in many extracurricular and performance groups. "When I look back, it is staggering how much performance experience I gained while I was at USF. It was like I earned a secondary degree in performance arts," he says. "All of it helped instill in me a confidence to perform and present in front of an audience."