CSI Alumni uses his past to give Back to his community.

By Eric J Copeland

On October 1^st, 2020, John Kesaris found himself back at CSI to offer students the helping hand and guidance they need for success.

“I always had this sense of wanting to help the community after I graduated,” said Kesaris. “I wanted to come back and make sure students know what help they have here.”

With college being as chaotic as it can be for most students, it’s no surprise students find themselves unsure of what their next move will be when it comes to their futures. While there are resources available that make these things easier for students to find their footing when it comes to their career prospects, there are still some students that are unaware that they have access to this kind of support.  This is where John Kesaris comes in.

As a former CSI student and graduate Kesaris understands this situation.  When he was a student, he too was unaware of the help that the college offered for students trying to find their way in the world after college graduation. Therefore, with his own college experience in the back of his mind, and a determination to help future students not make the same mistakes Kesaris would come back to CSI and begin working hard to make sure students knew of the opportunities and assistance that were available.

Starting out in 2020 Kesaris would begin working on a program called “Career Success on Campus” where he would get employers for internships funded by the college. Working this program, he began to understand what employers wanted out of students and armed with this knowledge he began to offer guidance to students on fine tuning their applications so that they could achieve better outcomes.

While the program would eventually close, the experience and network Kesaris gained would prove to be an invaluable asset to him and students in the future. However, getting students to understand and recognize the importance of an internship and the assistance offered in getting one was a different problem.

“It’s in the back of student’s minds,” said Kesaris. “You can graduate with a 4.0 but if you don’t have a successful interview and a good resume its for nothing.”

This issue would not remain unaddressed for long. Kesaris began sending emails about upcoming events, making visits to student life fairs, and going to classes on campus to spread awareness to as many students as possible. The fruits of this outreach would prove to be plentiful as success stories began to come in, one after another. Current students seem to be more aware that this help is available. Christian Hoffman had this to say about his experience.

“He was really helpful and gave a lot of good tips,” said Hoffman. “it’s a great experience and I’d recommend it.”

After four years of helping students with internships, resumes, and anything else relating to students’ future success Kesaris is showing no signs of slowing down. This is no surprise, given his passion for helping students to take advantage of his services at the Center for Career and Professional Development.

If you are a current student thinking about an internship or wondering what your next step should be Mr. Kesaris and the Center for Career and Professional Development is waiting to provide the assistance, you might need to help you get started on the next step in your plan.  John Kesaris has both the experience and know how to get you started right.

“When I see students come here and use our services and get an internship and they land a job and help other students. That’s the win, that’s what makes me see the results of everything,” said Kesaris. “It’s nice when you see students succeed.”