Entrepreneur Support Analyst, Endeavor Brasil
Lexy Von Keszycki, SSH’16, came to Northeastern for the co-op advantage: having real work experience, and a foot in the door. But during her time here, she got the opportunity to explore another passion – Brazil! Through three opportunities to travel to the country, Lexy was able to better understand the culture and professional environment, and commit to making Brazil her home. And, to make sure she didn’t miss her Northeastern connections, she became a volunteer and started bringing Northeastern to Brazil.
How did your Northeastern education impact you professionally?
It’s impossible to imagine how I would have gotten to where I am today without Northeastern – especially the global opportunities I had. I have been working in Brazil for over two years now, and it would not have been possible without the three opportunities I had to visit the country while at Northeastern. Those experiences allowed me to learn about the country first-hand, and see if I really wanted to live there. I also credit my co-ops, which separate me from my peers when it comes to job hunting, because I am a more professional interviewee and candidate, and have real-world skills, relationship building, and credibility in my resume.
How do you stay ahead of the curve?
I listen to a lot of podcasts and seek out online courses to make sure I never stop learning. Currently, I’m enrolled in an online course in social intrapreneurship and how to innovate and create social value inside large corporations. My favorite podcast at the moment is called “Acquired,” which is all about IPOs and M&A transactions.
What inspired you to give back to Northeastern as a volunteer?
Northeastern is a really incredible community that I admire. Living abroad, it is harder to feel close to Boston and other alumni, so I wanted to make sure that I didn’t lose touch. Volunteering has also always been an important value for me.
What have you learned by volunteering for Northeastern?
- Some of my biggest inspirations have been people I already knew, but I didn’t know their full story.
- Bringing people together is easier than you think!
- Global experiences are always the first thing alumni want to talk and hear about.
January 30, 2020
One piece of advice for someone looking to get involved as a volunteer.
Start small, and let your community guide your involvement. You’ll be amazed at how much more engaged you’ll become once you start! If you don’t think you have the bandwidth to plan an event yourself, participate in one first and talk to the organizers. Recruit partners and allies to lighten the load, and always know that if you ask for help, the teams at Alumni Relations will go above and beyond to help you.
What’s next for you?
I plan to keep working at Endeavor, Brazil, where I support the best and brightest entrepreneurs to accelerate their impact and drive systemic change. In a few years, I would like to work for one of the entrepreneurs that Endeavor supports to scale the social impact of their business.