Adriana Camber isn’t just a dedicated shooting guard for the Iowa State Women’s Basketball Team. Camber is also a student, a member of the Iowa State Investment Group, a Sweden native and a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Dedicated. That’s the word that Investment Group President Hernán Machado used to describe Camber.

“She is very, very dedicated to everything she does,” Machado said. “That is a quality that has transferred very well, from the Investment Group, to basketball, to her major, to her work, to her family and her faith.”

Coming from Sweden to Iowa, Camber said she didn’t even know where Iowa was on a map, but still fell in love with Iowa State.

“I kinda fell in love with the place and the campus right away,” Camber said. “My mom felt safe leaving me here, so I was like yeah, okay.”

Camber committed verbally to Iowa State on the spot.

Camber is a junior pursuing a double major in finance and management and is in her third semester as a member of the Investment Group.

This semester, Camber started in the position of director of outreach within the group.

“As the director of outreach, which she became this semester when we created it, she has been very helpful,” Machado said. “She has been meeting with different people, and working on promoting our organization.”

Pursuing finance wasn’t Camber’s initial plan when she came to Iowa State. Camber said she was not sure exactly what she wanted to do coming into college, but knew it would be something in the Ivy College of Business.

After taking her first finance class, Camber changed her primary major from marketing to finance, and got involved with the Investment Group.

Camber’s parents both work in business, so it was around her house her whole life.

“We had monthly budgeting meetings as a family,” Camber said. “I think it was a good thing that my parents talked about money, because then early on I understood the value of money. I think finance is really interesting because it covers all of business in a way. I guess money and numbers just make sense to me, like in basketball with the stats sheets.”

Camber grew up in Lund, a city in the province of Scania in southern Sweden. 

Even though she is thousands of miles away, Camber’s older sister is still her best friend to this day.

”When I was younger, I always wanted to hang out with my sister and her friends,” Camber said. “I was mad that I couldn’t keep up with them, and I think that brought out the competitive side in me, always having to compete with an older group of people.”

Camber and her older sister still talk every day, even with the time difference.

“She isn’t into sports at all which is weird,” Camber said. “She’s in veterinary medicine, so nothing with business. We are complete opposite in those ways, we kinda balance each other out.”

Camber’s parents immigrated from Croatia, and Camber said her parents are a major inspiration to her.

“My parents immigrated to Sweden after a war in Croatia, and didn’t really have anything at all,” said Camber. “They were learning Swedish with my sister when she was in daycare.” 

Camber said her dad is her biggest fan when it comes to basketball.

“He never missed a game when I was back home, and even now he will wake up in the middle of the night to watch us play here,” Camber said. “So that’s awesome. They always support me no matter what I want to do.”

Between school, basketball and her activities, Camber has three calendars.

“I like having things organized and to plan ahead and do work ahead of time, and that’s a huge part of being able to balance studies and sports,” Camber said. “Luckily, I’ve always enjoyed being busy, having free time just stresses me out.”

When Camber has free time she does enjoy things other than basketball or numbers. She loves to do things outdoors, like hiking or roller skating.

“I’m like a big child really,” Camber said. “My favorite movies are all the Disney movies, that is forever going to be a thing for me.”

Machado said he sees Camber as one of his close friends.

“We study together, have some classes together and have attended church together,” Machado said. “She is always honest, and just in general a great person.”

After she graduates, Camber wants to go into investment banking and eventually work with private equity.

Camber is looking to stay in the United States for a couple years after graduation.

“But you never know what will happen,” Camber said. “I haven’t closed the doors for going back home and getting my MBA. I would like to get a job here first to get experience and see more of America.”

Iowa State turned out to be the perfect fit for Camber. She said she knew she was at the right place right around her first Christmas in Iowa, when she knew she was going to stay in Ames for break and didn’t know what she was going to do when a lot of the other students left for home.

But right before break, Camber said every single teammate and coach offered for her to come home with them to spend the holidays.

“I think that was when I realized that I am surrounded by people that actually care about me,” said Camber. “For someone to open up their home during the holidays, I think that’s really, really special. And that’s when I knew this is a family, all my staff, coaches and teammates.”