January 2019

January 2019
George Calvo

(BS, Computer Science and Mathematics, ’15)

Q & A:

• What was your favorite class, who was your favorite professor, or what is your fondest memory of Hofstra?
  My fondest memory of Hofstra is when I was chosen as the 2014 Fall Festival king. It was an honor to be chosen by my peers to represent the Class of 2015. I will always remember the people I met and the experiences I had as Fall Festival king.
• What was your first job after graduating from Hofstra, and what was the most valuable thing learned in that position?
  As a rising junior and rising senior, I interned at a media agency called MEC Global. I was fortunate enough to be hired there, full-time, at the beginning of my senior year at Hofstra. I continued to work at MEC as a computer programmer after graduation. As an intern and full-time employee, I learned how to create and grow professional relationships – most of which I still have today.
• What is your field of specialty, and how did you come to work in the industry?
  My field of specialty is data/business intelligence engineering. As a sophomore at Hofstra, I received an email from one of my professors about a data engineering internship in New York City. The hiring manager was a Hofstra alum, and our connection was instant. On the job, I learned key data and business intelligence skills that I still use in my career today.
• What advice would you give Hofstra students?
  I would advise Hofstra students to get involved around campus in as many ways as possible. Being involved both inside and outside the classroom allows students to grow as leaders. The leadership skills developed at Hofstra will benefit students throughout their careers.
• In one word, how would you describe Hofstra?
  Distinguished.
• As a data and business intelligence engineer for Major League Baseball, you create and maintain reports for all 30 MLB clubs. What is your strategy for balancing multiple accounts?
  The keys to balancing a heavy workload are organizational skills and initiative. Organizing priorities leads to efficient time management. It is important to communicate which tasks are urgent and which tasks can be done next week. Taking the initiative to prioritize and work hard is key to success. Those that give it their all, even when no one is around, rise to the top.
• What unique experience or qualifications separate you from other candidates?
  My leadership experience and communication skills separate me from other candidates. At Hofstra, I founded and was president of Hofstra’s Habitat for Humanity chapter. As president, I learned invaluable leadership skills that I use every day in my professional career. Whether it was leading meetings, attending events, or just hanging out with fellow members, I learned to communicate with people of all different backgrounds and personalities.
• What has been your most rewarding experience at MLB thus far?
  My most rewarding experience at MLB thus far was the opportunity to lead the business intelligence portion of one of our team’s largest projects. I was fortunate enough to get to test out a lot of cutting-edge technology in the business intelligence space, ultimately choosing MLB’s business intelligence tool for the future. Knowing that I have made a mark on such a prestigious organization is something I will cherish for the rest of my life.
• How/when did your love for computer science ignite?
  My love for computer science ignited in a first-year seminar class called The Traveling Salesman Problem. This class was centered around the fundamentals of computer science and mathematics. At the time, I was undecided when it came to choosing a major. Within days of the class beginning, I began to feel a passion and love for computer science and math. My professor, Dr. Ostheimer, recognized this growing passion and helped steer me down a path that led to the success I have had early on in my career. She remained my mentor throughout my college career, and I am forever thankful for her guidance, and for opening my eyes to the amazing field of computer science and mathematics.
• How has Hofstra University helped shape you into the person you are today?
  All of my experiences at Hofstra have contributed to molding me into the person I am today. From club sports to leadership roles to countless hours in the computer lab, I often reflect on those experiences when facing difficult situations in my career. Always having similar experiences to fall back on and learn from is key to making smart decisions. Hofstra constantly took me out of my comfort zone in a positive way, helping me grow from a nervous first-year student into a confident alum ready to take on the professional world.