Spotlights

Connor Cavallaro '20

Connor Cavallaro '20

Employer
Ernst & Young

LinkedIn Profile
https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-cavallaro-527baa123/

1. Tell us about your journey since graduation.
2020, this was a year of learning for everyone no matter your background, experience, or stability. Everything went out to door and we had to reinvent ourselves in a certain way. Personally, graduating and going into lockdown soon after hit pretty hard. It was interesting to have so much time to sit down and look inside myself, understand what I had just accomplished and let my studies sink in. Let my experiences be reflected on. My time at Grand Valley State was an eye opening experience, I loved every minute. COVID gave me the chance to see this from a broad picture. To become grateful for something I might have overlooked in the past. I was slated to start work at Deloitte Consulting approx. 6 months after graduation. I was feeling prepared, ready and excited for a new step in my life resume. This was a chance for me to put my skills to use, to make others' lives better. In between, I searched inside more, wanted to help the community of Grand Rapids. I happened to come across a mentor of mine through the Cook Leadership Academy. He pointed me in the perfect direction. In Grand Rapids there is a group called Samaritas Foster Care. I joined this team for a week to take 5 foster care kids out to Montana to help them experience the wilderness, camp/hike, and explore the world one step at a time. It opened my eyes to so much of what they were going through and I learned so much from these kids. After this life changing experience, I was able to come back to Michigan feeling revived and refreshed. My time at work began and it was a time to explore new ways of personal and professional learning. I recently took a promotion to a new company after a year and a half with Deloitte. I now work at E&Y in Chicago excited for what is to come in the near future!

2. Share a favorite Grand Valley memory.
Walking into my first GVSU career fair in downtown Grand Rapids and seeing all of the companies with booths. This sight was exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. Feeling well prepped and ready to make my pitches was fueled from the career centers passion to help students secure internships. The outcome, my first internship landed after a few weeks of interviews.

3. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
While you are young and able, travel as much as you can. See the world and be open to new challenges, experiences, and cultures. This broadened scope will help you in all aspects of life moving forward.

4. List three words you would use to describe your Grand Valley experience.
Community, Exhilarating, Growth

5. What difference would you like to make in the world?
I would love to mentor and help young people pursue their dreams and reach happiness. In this world this is a tougher challenge than seen at first. Finding happiness is something we all desire but often harder to accomplish than first sought out.

January 2022

Interest Area(s)
Business Administration, Management

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Page last modified January 26, 2022