ESU Success Stories – Christopher James

Posted by: admin on October 4, 2011, One Comment

One of the most exciting adventures I took as a student at East Stroudsburg University was the semester-long internship with the Internal Revenue Service’s Human Capitol Office in Washington, D.C. That internship allowed me to take the textbook knowledge I gained in the classroom at ESU and apply it to a real world work experience.

Christopher James is one of those students who makes the most out of every aspect of his student experience at East Stroudsburg University. A native of Stroudsburg, Pa., Chris credits his experiences at ESU with empowering him to achieve things he couldn’t imagine possible. In addition to excelling in the classroom, Chris took advantage of the opportunity to study abroad last summer in Oxford, England and become enriched by the cultural differences he encountered. He was also invited to participate in a semester-long internship with the Internal Revenue Service’s Human Capitol Office in Washington, D.C. It was during this internship that Chris was able to “take the textbook knowledge I gained in the classroom at ESU and apply it to a real world work experience.” The internship was liberating for Chris and helped him to gain confidence and technical knowledge that will surely allow him to excel in his chosen professional field.

Chris’ academic performance, coupled with these experiences of studying abroad and interning with the IRS have also helped him to hone his leadership skills. He’s been a driving force relative to several campus initiatives to benefit organizations close to home and internationally, too. Just last year, Chris created a community service organization on my campus that was able to provide money to the Haiti Relief Effort, the American Cancer Society, and assist with local causes. Yet some of the best and most rewarding experiences he’s had at ESU have come in the form of peer education. At the start of his sophomore year, Chris became a mentor to fifteen fellow peers. He was able to (and still continues to) help them by sharing his knowledge, experiences, and vision to assist them in developing their future. Additionally, Chris plays an important role on ESU’s Orientation leadership team and has been acknowledged for his exceptional student involvement by being awarded the President’s Outstanding Service Award in 2010.

“I must say,” Chris adds, “ESU has helped me to become a true warrior; it has given me a solid foundation that I can now take with me to graduate school and life in general.”