Road to Commencement 2018

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The entrepreneurial spirit of Endicott College’s Class of 2018 is shining bright heading into the 78th Commencement Ceremony.

In the weeks leading up to this year's Commencement, the College shared students’ post-graduate plans on social media. The impressive list included entering the workforce, graduate school, and moving abroad.

Read more about their post-Commencement plans, fondest Endicott memories, advice for incoming students and more in the Q&A section below.

Amar Patel (Business Management)

What are your plans for after Commencement?
After graduation, I will be going abroad to get my MBA in International Hospitality Management at the Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in Bluche, Switzerland. This upcoming semester, I will be in Spain for one semester, then I will be doing an internship the following semester. My final semester, I will be going to Switzerland where I’ll complete my last semester and accomplish an MBA.

I decided to get my MBA after going on a two-week tour of Switzerland over the summer. I fell in love with the country and the Les Roches program, which is where I will be going to grad school. After I complete my MBA, my plan is to eventually take over the family business which is hotel management. It runs in my blood and I can see myself running a few hotels in the future.

Is there a particular faculty member, advisor, or another community member that has been an integral part of your student success and development?
The most influential faculty member for me has been Assistant Dean, Aileen Torrance of the School of Business. She’s been my advisor since freshman year and has helped me with everything academic-related and also in areas outside the classroom.

What is your fondest memory, the biggest takeaway, or something you miss the most from your undergraduate career at Endicott?
The one thing that I will miss most about Endicott are my brothers around me on the volleyball court. I played volleyball three out of my four years and it’s been an incredible experience.

What is one piece of advice you have for incoming students?
Take advantage of everything that Endicott has to offer, including study abroad programs, internships, and career fairs to lead you down the right path. Looking back on my four years, I wish I took advantage of these opportunities more.

Alexa Beatrice (Accounting and Finance)

What are your plans for after Commencement?
After graduation, I will be working at Wellington Management in Boston in the Business Associate program, working with investment analytics and investment products and strategies. I landed my full-time job opportunity after completing two internships at Wellington–the first in global accounting and the second in investment analytics after meeting an HR recruiter and my future boss at an event here at Endicott.

Is there a particular faculty member, advisor, or another community member that has been an integral part of your student success and development?
Someone at Endicott who I have worked really closely with has been Internship Coordinator and Assistant Professor, Cathy Butler. She’s been a really great support system and mentor throughout my career at Endicott. Another faculty member that has helped me be successful is Professor John Mussachia. I’ve had him for all of my finance courses and he’s helped me develop skills that I’ve been able to apply at my internships.

What is your fondest memory, the biggest takeaway, or something you miss the most from your undergraduate career at Endicott?
My fondest memory at Endicott was hosting the first-ever Women in LEADership Changemakers Conference during my sophomore year. It was a great opportunity to bring industry professionals to campus to network with current students.

What is one piece of advice you have for incoming students?
One piece of advice that I have for incoming students is to get involved. You’ll meet so many great people here on campus and you can really experience the Endicott community. You’ll also develop skills outside of the classroom that you can apply at your internship sites.

Sydney Kimball (Interior Design)

What are your plans for after Commencement?
After graduation, I will be employed full-time at Cube 3 Studio in Lawrence, Mass., where I will be a junior product coordinator. I landed this position with Cube 3 through an Endicott College Interior Design alumna who reached out to me during my winter intersession junior year and asked me to intern. Now it has led to a full-time job.

Is there a particular faculty member, advisor, or another community member that has been an integral part of your student success and development?
Some of the faculty that have helped me throughout my four years are Dean Kevin Renz, Professor Andrew Brody, Professor Michael Miller, and the rest of the Visual Performing Arts staff.

What is your fondest memory, the biggest takeaway, or something you miss the most from your undergraduate career at Endicott?
Something that I’m going to miss the most about Endicott is the entire arts community. They have been so gracious and helpful and have pushed not only me, but every student, to be their absolute best.

What is one piece of advice you have for incoming students?
One piece of advice that I have for incoming students is to honestly make sure you get sleep. It’s the most helpful thing you can make sure to do for yourself.

Hannah Mathes (Education)

What are your plans for after Commencement?
After graduation, I will be attending the Van Loan School at Endicott College to pursue my Master of Education in special education and applied behavioral analysis. I chose to continue my education at Endicott in order to obtain my teacher's license in moderate disabilities and also sit for the applied behavioral analysis exam and eventually become a board certified behavioral analysis. I will be getting my master's degree online through the Van Loan School while working full time in Connecticut as a behavior specialist.

Is there a particular faculty member, advisor, or another community member that has been an integral part of your student success and development?
Dean Sara Quay and Professor Lynne Stasiak in the School of Education have been an extreme piece to my success here at Endicott. They have supported me through all of the difficult paths I have chosen to take through my career.

What is your fondest memory, the biggest takeaway, or something you miss the most from your undergraduate career at Endicott?
My biggest takeaway from Endicott was traveling to Haiti with faculty and other students during a service trip to help people in need.

What is one piece of advice you have for incoming students?
One piece of advice that I have for incoming students is to get out of your comfort zone and try something new because now is the time and Endicott is definitely the place!

Tommy Pisciotta (Entrepreneurship)

What are your plans for after Commencement?
After graduation, I will be moving back home to St. Louis to spend the summer with my two roommates - mom and dad. After the summer, I'll be headed back to Endicott to get my MBA at the Van Loan School. I chose to get my MBA at the Van Loan School because since I completed my undergraduate degree in three years, I still have another year of eligibility to play hockey and I can't wait to do it! After I get my MBA, I hope to go on to law school. If I don't go to law school, then I want to travel.

Is there a particular faculty member, advisor, or another community member that has been an integral part of your student success and development?
There have been a number of people who have had a significant impact on me during my time at Endicott. Coach R.J. Tolan, always has our back and has been a great coach these past three years. The second would be Assistant Dean Aileen Torrance of the School of Business, or as we call her the mom of Endicott. Without her, there's no way I would be graduating! The third would have to be Dennis at Callahan because he always brings a smile to our faces and we definitely appreciate his presence on campus.

What is your fondest memory, the biggest takeaway, or something you miss the most from your undergraduate career at Endicott?
My fondest memory was when the men's ice hockey team won the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship game in 2017.

What is one piece of advice you have for incoming students?
You've probably been told to be yourself in college, but I would challenge you to find yourself because over the next four years you'll probably change a lot.

Paige Pratt (Exercise Science)

What are your plans for after Commencement?
After graduation, I’m moving to the Cape to work at Spaulding Rehab in the adaptive sports program for the summer. I hope to be able to continue working at Spaulding once the summer is over. I’ll be working with quadriplegics, paraplegics, and amputees, trying to get them back to sports such as kayaking and biking.

Is there a particular faculty member, advisor, or another community member that has been an integral part of your student success and development?
Professor Douglas Glazer and Professor Kevin Rooney have been super helpful with helping me figure out exactly what I want to do. Especially Professor Rooney, as I’ve gone into his office multiple times trying to figure out what I want to do for the rest of my life!

What is your fondest memory, the biggest takeaway, or something you miss the most from your undergraduate career at Endicott?
My fondest memory has to be the T-Pain spring concert! I’m going to miss the community at Endicott the most. Seeing the entire senior class come together over the past few months has been very eye-opening and it makes me really sad that I have to leave.

What is one piece of advice you have for incoming students?
My biggest piece of advice for incoming students is to say yes to everything. Go out and have fun because it really does fly by.

Colleen Silva (Nursing Administration)

What are your plans for after Commencement?
My post-graduate plans are to continue on my path in nurse management and have a senior leadership role at the organization I currently work for.

How did the Endicott Van Loan School program help you with your internship?
My current organization has a research affiliation with the Van Loan program as well as a School of Education program. That’s how I first became aware of the Endicott program. And working in the organization in a leadership role already, I was able to pursue the internship more readily as part of the organization’s own nurse managers.

Why would you recommend nursing administration as a path to fellow nurses?
I like the specialty of a Master of Science in Nursing, that umbrella, with a specialty of nursing administration; because nurse leaders are where nurses have the voices we need to make changes in healthcare.

Is there a particular faculty member, advisor, or another community member that has been an integral part of your student success and development?
Dr. Kelly Fisher came to my organization, and I met her there as a part of the research program. And that is where I got the idea to pursue my Master of Science in Nursing, and I've had extraordinary instructors as part of the nursing administration track here.

What is your fondest memory, the biggest takeaway, or something you miss the most from your undergraduate career at Endicott?
My biggest takeaway from the program is the small classrooms. They really allow for individual tailoring for my needs in a pursuit of a leadership position.

What is one piece of advice you have for incoming students?
Step boldly into the fray and pursue your masters. It’s an extraordinary experience. And, again, it will empower nursing in general, the nursing practice, to have a voice in leadership.

Read more student stories on Endicott's Internships and Careers page.