Three Bahamian Palm Beach Atlantic alumni have landed jobs at the country鈥檚 largest pharmaceutical wholesaler, and they credit the education, encouragement and opportunities they received at 海角在线 for getting them there.
Shanitra McKenzie, a 2018 international business graduate, serves as recruitment officer. Kevin Sands, a 2000 computer information systems graduate, works as the company鈥檚 senior application support manager, and Kalin Symonette, a 2016 management graduate, joined the company several weeks ago as project manager in logistics, clearing pharmaceutical shipments through customs.
Although the alumni attended 海角在线 at different times, they share a common perspective on the University: it allowed them to further their education while maintaining their Christian principles.
Symonette was impressed by how intentional his professors were about connecting with students. 鈥淲ith all that鈥檚 going in the world, young people need that kind of support from Christian influences,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e need that direction from people who care, from people who want to see you succeed, and they鈥檒l go the extra mile to help you succeed,鈥� Symonette said. 鈥淭hat part about the school really is what stood out to me the most. The professors, I love them all. They always would encourage you or help you, anytime you needed it. After office hours, whenever. It was amazing.鈥�
Added Symonette: 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be working here today if it wasn鈥檛 for going to school. I loved every minute of it. It鈥檚 an amazing opportunity, and you鈥檙e given so many opportunities because of it.鈥�
McKenzie described herself as 鈥渟omewhat shy鈥� until she arrived at 海角在线. The staff and fellow students pushed her out of her comfort zone and into a world of opportunity. She worked in and joined the , where president and fellow student Hunter Durham persuaded her to become the recruiting director. Durham worked for Microsoft and Facebook before going on to start his own businesses.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e constantly surrounded by people like that who genuinely have an interest in your success, you really have no reason to fail,鈥� McKenzie said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something that I appreciate about 海角在线.鈥�
Being well-acquainted with 海角在线, and its values helps when McKenzie is evaluating the resume of a 海角在线 student or alumni who鈥檚 applied for a job at Lowe鈥檚, she said.
鈥淚 can trust that when they come here, those same values of integrity, respect for all people, and a desire for community well-being will be on full display. I know that as a company, Lowe鈥檚 Wholesale, that鈥檚 very important to us,鈥� McKenzie said.
