Here’s a quick glimpse at one of many impressive outcomes HPU graduates achieve.
Name: Ethan Parker, Class of 2025
Hometown: Concord, North Carolina
Major: Communication and sports media; minoring in sport management
Internship plans: Ethan is a 2024 summer intern at Bloomberg in New York, serving as their advertising sales media intern. Ethan works closely with the Tech and Telecommunications team to polish strategic approaches internally while also identifying impactful trends to propel Bloomberg forward.
How HPU helped you get there: “HPU heavily impacted me by offering hands-on opportunities and experiences to harness knowledge for the world as it will be, not as it currently is. HPU offers a variety of organizations that have allowed me to build my professionalism and learn how to react in leadership positions. In addition, I have built amazing social skills while at HPU, learning how to properly network and build lifelong connections.”
Most impactful mentor at HPU: “Robert Tillman, director of HPU’s Bonner Leader Program, has been my most impactful mentor. He does an amazing job building relationships with students and staying in touch. Mr. Tillman wants the best for his students, and you can see it brings him joy when students share their accomplishments. He is great at setting examples and does that with how he carries himself, presents, dresses and interacts with others. I am truly blessed to have met Robert Tillman during my time at HPU.”
Most impactful moment at HPU: “Joining my fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. It was such a surreal moment joining what I believe is the best fraternity in the world. I have been able to surround myself with individuals I can truly call my brothers who make me better by constantly striving for achievement themselves. My entire family and friends were in attendance at my new membership presentation, and I’d go back and re-live that moment every day if I could.”
How you used Career & Professional Development: “The Office of Career and Professional Development helped me focus on strengthening my resume and learning the in-depth details of how to present yourself on a professional level. I gathered an abundance of skills through the Office of Career and Professional Development and oftentimes told friends that was one of the main reasons I chose HPU.“
What has your internship experience been like and how is it preparing you for your future? “My internship experience has been nothing short of amazing. I have met a variety of great people who have provided me with fantastic feedback to grow and become the best version of myself. I strongly feel as though the experiences I received at Bloomberg are unmatched, and I would love to work at such a company long term. It’s prepping me for the future by allowing me to approach things with a fresh mind and figure out impactful solutions myself before taking it another step further. The culture and camaraderie at Bloomberg are amazing, and it truly makes the environment a joy to be in, allowing all of us to work to the best of our ability, preparing us for the future as it is what the world will be.“
How has HPU’s inspiring environment contributed to your success? “It pushes you to want to continue doing more. The environment makes it easy to work with others and lead organizations. The atmosphere of HPU is more than inspiring as it allows you to enjoy your work, love your classes and connect with professors and classmates.”
What are the life skills HPU helped you develop that prepared you for long-term success? “Interpersonal relationship skills, problem solving, creative thinking, resilience, communication and decision making skills.”
What are the values and virtues HPU’s campus helped you develop that you’ll take with you after graduation? “HPU has taught me to find passion in what you’re doing and to follow what you love to do. For me, I found immense joy in media sales this summer and building meaningful relationships. After graduation I hope to start a role with Bloomberg, the company I want to follow, hopefully working in media sales, the role I enjoy.”
Advice for underclassmen: “Take advantage of the opportunities at HPU. Show initiative and go after it. Not everything is thrown at you, but once you’re involved on campus, you’ll find it very hard to take a step back due to such an inspiring and motivating environment. Find your group and build your network on day one. Everyone who graduates from HPU does big things in the world, and you want to surround yourself with groups of people who push you to do the same. For me, my fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., allowed me to be surrounded by brothers who helped me to grow and polish my approach — you must also find yours!”
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