Extracurricular Activities:Pi Kappa Alpha, IFC, Basketball/Soccer Intramurals,
What career or personal update would you like to give to your fellow Florida Tech Panthers alumni?
I love the industry and career I have built here in Portland - right now I work at Nike WHQ as a Planner / Product Manager, helping bring the best sports product to our consumers and driving the pinnacle of sportswear innovation. Every day on campus feels like a dream come true - I truly love what I do and where I do it. I also work par time as a yoga instructor and personal fitness coach here in the Portland area, helping others reach their health goals and become the best version of themselves physically and mentally.
How did your time at Florida Tech help get you to where you are today?
Florida Tech always brought about the best in me - I was constantly striving to better myself both academically and through the vast network of people I met while I was a student. I met so many people from so many different walks of life, and having been able to create relationships with each of those people prepared me to bring about my best self in my career landscape as well.
What is your favorite Florida Tech memory?
One thing I would never trade is being a part of Greek Life at FIT - I was extremely involved in it, serving as IFC President in 2016 and then President of my own fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha, in 2017. Every moment shared with my fraternity brothers, whether it was a chill day at the house between classes, long nights in the study room, mixers / social events, or even just grabbing lunch on campus - I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. If I had to choose a specific one, I would say winning Greek Week my Senior Year and celebrating with everyone at the fraternity house afterwards.
Was there a mentor or professor who had a big impact on you personally and/or professionally?
Funny enough, it was a professor who gave me some tough love when I had been slacking that really paid the most dividends for me on my career journey. Dr. Charles Bryant was one of my professors during my final semester of undergrad and truth be told, my senioritis was as severe as ever. I remember he gave me a reality check on showing up as the best version of me during a time where I was on cruise control, and it was his words that sparked a fire in me to fulfill my untapped potential and eventually gave me the fuel to chase my dreams. I didn't know or appreciate it at the time, but Dr. Bryant is a big reason why I am where I am today.
Please share any advice you have for current Florida Tech students.
When I graduated undergrad and went into my MBA program at FIT, I remember feeling lost and uncertain about what to do in my career. It was about halfway through my MBA that I set my sights on working at Nike, and at the time a lot of my professors and peers thought this goal was unattainable (or at least extremely difficult). No Florida Tech grad (to my knowledge) had gone on to work at Nike before, and I was being pushed toward the conventional path of working in Finance or Defense Contracting (which I did have a short stint in). I remember thinking to myself, "why can't I create my own path?" All this to say, there is nothing wrong with working in any of those industries if that's what you want to do, but if you have a dream you want to pursue - pursue it deliberately. Don't let anyone tell you something is impossible or diminish your flame. And, most importantly, have fun. Let loose. Be present. Those 4 years fly by faster than you think - stay in the now and cherish every moment (even the late night study sessions).
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