Jeurys Santiago

Name: Jeurys Santiago (founder of Minds with Purpose)

Major: Business Transfer

GPA: 3.22

Hometown: Lawrence

High School and Year of Graduation: First three years at Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics and senior year at Lawrence High School – 2017 .

What brought you to NECC? NECC seemed like the perfect spot for me to start my college career for the reason that its affordable and had the exact program that I wanted to get into. It was also close to home which was a huge advantage.

Why did you choose your major? The reason I chose my major is that I want to have a career in the business field and  become an entrepreneur.

Were you involved in any extracurricular activities at NECC? Yes I was part of the PACE Program, the Civic Scholars program , the Alpha Beta Gamma business honors society , the internship program , and also part of a marketing team that helped with projects going on in school.

What are you planning for fall, 2020? For fall 2020 I am planning on transferring into a four- year institution if schools open up because I want to live in a dorm. If not, I plan on growing my business and learn new skills.

What did you appreciate most about NECC? The staff and faculty are amazing , each and every single one of them are super helpful. Also, there are many student support programs, extra curricular programs and clubs, and career and job fairs.

Was there a faculty or staff member who was especially helpful? If yes, how did they help you? Yes , Professor Sheila Muller . She was super helpful. She believed in one of my ideas and after that happened it sparked something inside of me to put more of my ideas out there and she was always there along the way to help me out in any way she could. She connected me with the correct individuals at times as well.

What surprised you most about NECC? What surprised me the most about NECC is how resourceful it turned out to be and how much I ended up learning about myself. Without NECC I would not be who I am today .

What advice would you give an incoming NECC freshman? Some advice that I would give an incoming NECC freshman is to be themselves and to not be afraid to ask for help because everyone at NECC is super helpful. When I say to be themselves, I mean to speak out and not hold things back because of fear.

What would people be surprised to know about you? People would be surprised to know that I love learning and that I love playing chess and dancing ballroom. .

What were the biggest challenges that you faced in pursuit of your associate degree? The biggest challenges that I faced during my pursuit were consistency , I felt like if I didn’t go hard on myself and take 4-6 classes per semester than I wouldn’t finish.

What are you long term career/education plans? My long-term career/education plans are to build my own business from the ground up to be a company that helps locals all over the world.