“You Can Be Adventurous” — John-Michael Garofano (’23, Data Analytics)
Before Bentley, John-Michael Garafano was actively involved in high school as the president of the National Technical Society, the president of DECA, and as a peer mentor. Through DECA, a high school organization preparing aspiring business professionals, John-Michael was able to discover his passion for the business world. He interned at his high school’s school bank, school store, and career center—he wanted to apply everything he learned in DECA and use it in the real world. His experiences as an intern solidified his desire to apply and enroll at Bentley.
Like most freshmen, John-Michael came to Bentley excited to embark on this new journey as a college student. However, with all the responsibilities that came with college, he found himself feeling overwhelmed and lost his freshman year. John-Michael was like every other college student at Bentley as he would attend class and hang out with his friends, but he was not involved in campus. He was not part of any clubs or organizations and felt as though he wasn’t maximizing his college years.
Throughout all of this, the world was enduring an unprecedented global pandemic, millions were suffering from the deadly virus forcing schools around the world to shut down and go remote. Because of this, John-Michael found himself feeling even more lost and overwhelmed; feeling trapped behind his computer screen. As his spring semester sophomore year approached, John-Michael told himself he was going to do his best to put himself out there. John-Michael rushed and joined Delta Sigma Pi, a co-ed professional business fraternity; joined Project Creative Industries (PCI); and became an Orientation Leader this past summer. John-Michael’s world shifted after joining those three organizations as he was now living up to his life mantra.
“Live by the idea of staying true to yourself, listening to yourself, being honest and genuine.”
As a freshman, John-Michael felt as though he did not belong and did not fit the stereotype as a Bentley student. If he could go back in time and give his freshman year self advice, he would tell himself, “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, don’t be afraid to show who you really are. It does not matter if you don’t fit the stereotype, there are people who like you, and don’t be afraid to search for the people like you.” John-Michael has taken this to heart by joining the E-Board of PCI as the Photography Lead. In this position, John-Michael hosts photography-related events such as how to work a camera, how to edit, and much more. His goal with PCI is to help students who haven’t found their place at Bentley, grow the club, and help more people on campus express their creative sides.
“You don’t need to rule an organization with an iron fist, a relatable leader will cause the members to be more inclined to listen to them.
As a current Junior, John-Michael plans to keep being adventurous on campus and exploring more ways he can positively impact the Bentley community. If he could impart any wisdom to incoming freshmen, it would be to get involved, it’s okay to put yourself out there, do not let to waste your four years at Bentley, it is the time where you will have the most fun and grow as a person. Strive to be the best version of yourself.