#buclass2020

A Different Approach to Sales 

By Eden Berlin, communications assistant

Everyone has experienced walking into a store and being followed by an employee asking you if you need help with anything. Or it might be passing a kiosk in the mall and the person with perfume samples just a few steps behind you, relentlessly asking if you would like to try out their latest scent.

But you’ve never met Jake Caralle. 

He’s not your typical salesman. He’ll change your perception about a salesperson. As he says, “In sales, you’re helping other people solve problems.”

Caralle graduated from Bloomsburg University with a degree in business management and professional sales in 2020. He moved to Boston to work for Oracle NetSuite, a computer software company where he works as a business development consultant. 

“My job entails supporting the New York, New Jersey, and New England region in the top line of their sales efforts for companies that range from 20 million to 200 million in revenue. Nothing can be innovated, created, or advanced in our economy until someone sells something [a product] to somebody, Caralle states.

As a business development consultant, Caralle is selling software that transforms a business. He believes “the software truly helps them [the company] reach their potential while making life easier and saving them an immense amount of time.”

“I really like being on the hunt every day, facing down new business. I like what I get to learn in the technology industry,” said Caralle who recently won two company awards.

Caralle has had a niche for sales ever since he was working with Alumni and Professional Engagement (APE) at BU. He says, “Working with that office gave me a taste of what front line sales is like, where you’re trying to explain to people the benefits and values of a certain program or event.”

Along with promoting the Greenly Center, Caralle worked as a peer career coach. “I was passionate about being able to help other students,” he said. After BU, Caralle continues guiding BU students to return the favor.

“It’s my duty to give back as an alumnus because they [the alumni] helped me so much as a student.” ZIPD and the Career Intensive Boot Camp stood out to him the most because those alumni and employers were prime examples of Caralle’s potential future.

He has presented at the Zeigler Institute for Professional Development (ZIPD) conference and participated in a virtual sales panel to share his experiences with current students.

“I presented at ZIPD because it’s a program that had a really big impact on me and my career direction. Seeing professionals come in to talk about their experiences helped me shift my thinking into a professional mindset. It made me want to be up there doing what they’re doing in a few years to help the next people in line get to where they want to be.” Caralle said. “I want to help create the next generation of leaders.”

Caralle has big plans for his future career. “I want to be the CEO of a company that I start and grow to more than 200 employees.” Outside of work, he reads books to develop other skills that will direct him to his goal. He adds, “I’m working toward this every day.”  

Is a career journey a path or a maze?

By Eden Berlin, communications assistant

For many college students, their career journey is a straight line. They choose a major based on their field of interest, and every internship, engagement opportunity, or experience leads them to a job in that desired field. However, this was not the case for Erica Gebbia ’20. Her career path took twists and turns in ways she could have never imagined.

Gebbia graduated from Bloomsburg University amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, as a dual major in anthropology and environmental, geographical, and geological sciences. The pandemic altered her plans, leading her to work remote for a local housing authority in Salt Lake City, Utah called Housing Connect. Housing Connect is responsible for finding affordable homes for low-income families in their area. Serving as a public relations and fundraising VISTA for Americorps is not what Gebbia had in mind after graduation because her previous experiences at BU were taking her in a different direction. While at BU, Gebbia took advantage of all the opportunities that the university has to offer, allowing her to participate in internships, civic engagement, and research to gain experience in her field of interest.

Her internship was with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), where she created workshops and presentations to engage in community outreach programs. 

“Interning with the DEP afforded me valuable knowledge and experience with community development,” Gebbia said. She learned so much from this experience, but what stuck out the most to her was that “engaging with the public is an important, necessary component to ensure the success of any organization as it helps create a sense of shared responsibility and civic duty.”  

After this internship opportunity, Gebbia did not stop there. Working with the PA DEP, Gebbia felt inspired to participate in a cross-country cycling ride called Bike and Build, to raise money and awareness for the affordable housing cause. 

“I continued to further my experience with community development...which was monumental in bringing my college coursework to life.” Gebbia said, as she engaged in this race. Bike and Build is where Gebbia learned about Americor. “I thought it would be a good segue, given the times, to gain professional experience.” 

The Bike and Build trip allowed her to take on a new role, one in the communications field. Gebbia’s previous volunteer work benefits her today because she is the current public relations and fundraising VISTA for Housing Connect. This opportunity led her to conduct an ethnographic research study, where she took part in observations, interviews, and surveys. “I studied how individuals conceptualize various geographical locations,” Gebbia said.  

Gebbia was able to take part in two work studies during her last year at BU. She was a peer mentor and a mass lecture assistant for Fazzino’s World Problems course. These job opportunities were important to her. 

“As a senior, these positions were valuable to me as I was able to help students engage with a subject that I am passionate about,” she said.  

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gebbia’s second internship opportunity ended up being remote. She was supposed to go to the Island of Kosrae to conduct research.

This whole journey navigating different opportunities has wildly changed Gebbia’s career path. Although it was not what Gebbia expected, she is content with her current position now, as it allows her to hike every day after work and travel around Utah in her free time.  

“I am grateful for my time spent at Bloomsburg University and do not think I would be where I am today without the support and guidance of the anthropology department,” Gebbia said.

Top honor graduates for Fall 2020 named

Bloomsburg University named its top honor graduates for each college for Fall 2020. The graduates will be recognized during the school's virtual commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 12.

We’re celebrating the Class of 2020 with virtual ceremonies at:

1 p.m. — Graduate Studies

3 p.m. — Undergraduate Studies

Named the top honor graduate from the Zeigler College of Business is Brittany Zipovsky, a professional sales and marketing major from Hazleton. She plans to begin a career in digital marketing or sales.

From the College of Education, the top graduate is Cori Jo Ruble, an early childhood (Pk-4) education major from Mifflintown. Ruble plans to seek full-time employment. While looking for a position, she will be a substitute teacher.

In the College of Liberal Arts, Joseph Zimmerman, a history major from Bloomsburg, earned the honor. Zimmerman will pursue a Christian ministry pastoral internship.

Abigail Potter named top student in Special Education

Bloomsburg University’s College of Education recently recognized its Outstanding Seniors in each of its undergraduate programs for the 2019-20 academic year with Abigail Potter, from Millerstown, named as the top student from the Special Education program.

"My plan now that I have graduated is to obtain a job in the education field of either early childhood education or special education," said Potter. "I am currently on the job hunt and am participating in many interviews with various schools in both areas of education. I have promising hopes of receiving a job offer within the next few weeks. I am very excited about my future as an educator, and I cannot wait to see where my journey takes me. I am proud to be a Husky and represent Bloomsburg University wherever I end up."

Potter is thankful for all the faculty who assisted her during her time at BU.

"I would not be the educator I am today without Bloomsburg University and the College of Education," Potter continued. "It is so hard to pinpoint one faculty member at Bloomsburg University because each one truly influenced me during my time there. A few professors that made a difference for me were Dr. (Stephanie) Gardner, Dr. (Kali) Fedor, and Dr. (Brooke) Lylo. These three amazing women made learning fun and took my education to the next level."

Julia Krueger named top student in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education

Bloomsburg University’s College of Education recently recognized its Outstanding Seniors in each of its undergraduate programs for the 2019-20 academic year with Julia Krueger named as the top student from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education program.

“I plan on working as a teacher of the deaf,” said Krueger, a native of Allentown. “I would love working with young children in either an elementary or preschool setting. I have a strong passion for teaching young deaf children because I communicate using both ASL (American Sign Language) and spoken English. My belief is that we need deaf teachers to inspire families with deaf children and show them that those children can do anything.”

As a student at Bloomsburg University, Krueger was inspired by one of her professors.