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Don't stress yourself out. Probably anything you go through in college, other people have also gone through and have also figured it out. So, don't stress too much. Take advantage of your resources. Hello, Blue Jays, and welcome to the nest, stories about life after Manor College. I am your host, Kelly Peiffer, vice president of marketing communications, and this is the best part of my day. My hope is that this podcast will encourage, inform, and inspire you, making you feel like at Manor College, you belong here always.

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Before we get to today's guest, it is time for a segment of the show I like to call Did You Know? Where we will share some fun facts about Manor College that you may or may not know. Did you know that Manor College offers a peer mentor program which is designed to support first generation college students as they begin their academic journey? This program pairs incoming students with experienced peers who serve as guides, helping them stay engaged with their studies and navigate the challenges that sometimes a first year

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college experience can bring. Research shows that programs like this play a major role in helping students persist and then ultimately graduate. Manor College currently has 10 peer mentors, each working working with a small group of students. The program has seen a tremendous response since launching in fall of 2024, supporting 67 mentees since its beginning. Mentors are matched with students based on their majors, from practical nursing to psychology to sports management and beyond, and they connect in meaningful ways, whether it's

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through text messages, study groups, or even grabbing meals together. These mentors help show that at Manor College, you truly do belong here, and our community is always here to help you navigate college. Today's episode is sponsored by the Manor College Bird Feed. Did you know that some Manor College students struggle with food insecurity? Manor College is proud to be an official PA hunger-free campus. Our bird feed food pantry provides a vital lifeline offering non-p perishable foods and toiletries to those in need. But we

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can't do it without your help. Your donation of canned goods, dry goods, or financial contributions help us keep the shelves stocked and ensure that no one in our campus goes hungry. Learn how you can help by visiting manor.edu/birdfeed. That's manor.edu/birdfeed. Today's guest is a true Northeast Philly success story and a testament to the power of starting strong. Having gone to Father Judge High School, our guest began their college journey right here at Manor College as a first generation

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college student by studying liberal arts to get a solid foundation. Taking that momentum further, they transferred to La Salle University. Today, they serve as a human resources specialist at International Raw Materials. Please welcome to the show, Carlos Contente. Hi, Carlos. >> Hi, Kelly. How you doing? Thanks for having me on. >> Yes. Thank you so much for being with us today. I'm excited to talk with you. Last season, we had your your other half on the show, Jessica Strickland, and I'm

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excited that now that you guys are married, we can talk to you as well. And we'll get into a little bit of that your your Manor Match story a little bit later. But Carlos, can you start us off by sharing how did you first hear about Manor College and why did you ultimately decide to attend? >> Yeah, thanks again. Thanks for having me on. Uh, so the start of my Manor journey is pretty simple. Uh, I was going to Father Judge High School, the best high school in the city of Philadelphia. Um,

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and they had at the time a dual enrollment program with uh, Manor College. I was a first generation college student, so I didn't have like a legacy through my parents or anything and was somewhat struggling with the idea of where to go. Knew I wanted to go. Wasn't really sure where what that was going to look like. Um, and then one day in home room, I heard the announcement about, you know, you can do dual enrollment through Manor and take a couple of gen ed classes and if you are interested in learning more, reach out

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to I forget who was one of the teachers at Judge I think was the contact point. So, uh, I reached out to him and I signed up for I don't even remember what, maybe US history one, something like that. Um, and I remember I think I ended up taking two or three courses over junior and senior year. Uh, and the whole time, at least when I started, I was like, this works, but I'm not going to go to Manor. Um, and then eventually I was just like, you know, it's not that far. I'm already

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here. We can kind of ease into it. So, that's how I ended up applying and getting into Manor. I honestly um I kind of get pretty set on things, so I can't even remember if I ended up applying anywhere else my senior year if I was just like, I'm going to go to Manor and figure it out later. But, uh it all worked out. I went to Manor. I had a great time. Um yeah, that's great. I love I love a good dual enrollment story for you know that's really people just think like oh yeah I'll just get ahead in high school and

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take some classes but I'm not actually going to like go to that college I'm going to go somewhere else but um I'm glad that you were able to kind of like settle in and be like no I'm going to get my start particularly as a first gen college student like you said your parents um didn't really have that legacy or foundation to to share with you you were the one doing that so uh a school like Manor is perfect for that over 60% of our students today are first generation college students. That's

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really important to um our demographics and our culture. So for you, Carlos, as a first gen college student, you know, navigating higher ed can really feel different and culture shock. What was kind of the biggest um piece that you didn't really expect or the biggest hurdle that you had to overcome as a first gen college student? Oh, >> biggest hurdle. That's a good question. I don't know. I think the biggest hurdle maybe figuring out the financial aid aspect, but everyone I got a scholarship to Manor and then

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everyone else was so helpful that I don't think it ended up being as much of a hurdle as it could have been. Um, >> yeah, >> I think what's helpful in these situations sometimes is you overthink it in your head and then you get there and you're like, "Oh, this isn't that bad." and then you kind of just get swept up in the flow of it and next thing you know you're just going through it. So, uh maybe the figuring out the financial aid piece of it, especially um

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you know like your parents help you or they pay for your grade school, your high school or you go to public school, whatever it may be and then all of a sudden you kind of have to figure this out. But um thankfully between my guidance department and high school and everyone at Manor, it wasn't too much of a hurdle to get sorted. >> Yeah, that's good. figuring out finances and understanding financial literacy, particularly in a college setting, it is challenging. It's confusing. You hear

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scholarships, you hear grants, you hear federal versus non and private, and it's all these a lot of terminology. Um, so I'm glad that you were able to navigate that and, you know, obviously be able to attend. Um, I want to talk about, you know, you studied liberal arts, which is is a great degree. it's, you know, pretty general and gives you that foundation to then maybe go into different specific areas. Can you talk about like why did you choose liberal arts and kind of what was your mentality

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on where you wanted to go with that degree? >> Yeah. So, uh I had always my parents had pushed me to go to college for a very long time. So, I always knew I was going to go um to college. And then I was very close with my cousin George uh who was a history major. And then I grew up a huge history nerd. So, I always knew that regardless of how things shook out and wherever my career path might take that I was going to study history in college. And so, obviously, there's not a history degree at Manor. So, liberal arts was

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kind of what folded into that. So that's why I ended up studying liberal arts. Um, and obviously your original career plans kind of fell apart and I ended up doing other things, but that's one of benefit into kind of the way the world works sometimes. So >> such is life. >> Such is life, right? Um, >> such as life, >> but that's okay. Uh, but so I think liberal arts and history provides a well-rounded foundation. um as you said and I think it's good to be

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able to have those critical thinking processes that you pick up through those studies as well as just a good humanities background so you're kind of wellversed well spoken well read um I think building I think those kind of building blocks are essentially the purpose of college in a way so it all it all works out um and I think studying something you're actually interested in is important and you'll probably get the most out of it that way um just probably contrary to everything Jessica said, I'm

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sure, but that's okay. Um, and this is one of the benefits, I think, of not having uh a college legacy through your parents is you get a little bit more >> freedom doing what you want, right? So, they weren't like, "No, you have to study accounting." You'll be like, "Okay, sure. You can that's fine." It all works out. >> Good point. Yeah, that's a good point. I think what you what you said about building blocks is really important and it does give you this foundation in the

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humanities on how to write, how to speak, how to think, how to articulate, how to be diplomatic and how to you know um be an adult, be a professional and obviously you know at Manor we have this this kind of mix of like very career focused programs where like you are going to be a dental hygienist, you are going to be um LPN and then we also have liberal arts and business and sports management and things that are a bit more fluid and uh flexible in their in their you know careers and what you can

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do with them. So it's really neat that we have kind of both and it makes for a very vibrant campus community. Um but you're right it's funny you know your wife Jess who also went to Manor had a very kind of different path. She's like I like numbers. I want to be an accountant. I want to make good money. You know very black and white. And you were kind of more like kind of in the gray bubble we'll say. Um, but since you brought Jess up, let's talk about that. So, I hear that Manor College gave you

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something much more meaningful than just a diploma. Can you kind of tell us the story about how you met your future wife on campus? >> Yeah, so Jess and I both went to Manor. Uh, she went to Ben Salem High School, so we didn't know each other through high school. And we met Aunt Manor, I think only towards the end of our freshman year, which would have been like, uh, 2010, 2011. So, I was asked to help with the graduation ceremony in some capacity. I forget exactly how. And so, was Jess. So,

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that's how we met. Um, and then I think the next year we just saw each other in the cafeteria and were like, "Oh, I remember you from the graduation thing and started hanging out that way." Um, and then, you know, developed a friendship. We both did the Model Y team. So, we both went to Boston that year, I think it was. and then both graduated 2012. I think originally she was supposed to go somewhere else. I went to La Salle uh but I think originally she was supposed to go somewhere else and then

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plans developed that she also ended up going to La Salle. So had that kind of small Manor connection. So we spent a lot of time at L uh hanging out at La Salle and then you know started dating that way and then grad school early career and then eventually marriage. >> I love it. I love >> I hope that lines up with the story. >> That lines up very well with Jess's story. Yeah, I think the um I'm trying I was as you were talking I'm like comparing the two in my head and I think

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the only detail that just had a few more details about the graduation when you both were asked to I think carry flags >> and then it was like a Catholic I mean graduation is part of the Catholic ceremony. So there were some Catholic related things that you guys knew what to do. >> Um she was saying that you guys were were into that a little bit >> but yeah you you were spot on. Very good. She'll be she'll be proud. Good show. >> So, you were active in Model UN. We

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unfortunately don't have Model UN anymore. Um, but can you kind of tell us like as someone who is involved with Model UN, do you ever find that those skills in negotiation, in diplomacy ever come in handy in in your work as an HR specialist? Any kind of likeminded things coming into play there? >> Good question. So diplomacy, sure. I mean, I started doing it in high school, so diplomacy amongst high school kids is probably a little bit different than what it looks like in the professional world, but I think um

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laying those seeds are is good. And then getting to do it on a college level u where you're competing against people who are actually studying at um kind of the big foreign service schools and know their stuff really well was also interesting to see. So sure the diplomacy and the kind of writing and research aspect of model UN was good as well but I think one of the things that goes under appreciated especially as a high school and then a college student um is it does give you extra exposure

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to kind of just the globe because you get assigned um or for people who may not be familiar with it right so you get like a debate topic and then you're assigned a country and you have to kind of research the country's position on that topic um and represent that faithfully. So, it gives you exposure to other things going on in the world and other I think kind of cultures and things you might not be able to pick up on if you weren't specifically told to research um you know what does Brunai

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and Darc Salam think about this, right? So, kind of getting some exposure that way and I think it just helps make you more well-rounded, right? and kind of adding your view to or picking up views on things you might not have views on. Um even to this day sometimes stuff comes up and I'm like oh yes that's in Tanzania or like this is that and it's like why do I know that? Well because it was I looked it up when I was a freshman at Manor. That's why I know it. So I think that's probably more the

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beneficial aspect than maybe the the actual diplomacy part of it. >> Yeah. Yeah. It makes you more worldly. Um, and as someone like you said, you were a history nerd. I'll use your words. Um, I feel like that ties in well with, you know, just kind of that um, interest that you have as well. So, tell us about your career. You you currently are an HR specialist at international raw materials. Tell us what your role means and does and the kind of work that you guys do. >> Yeah. So, uh, it's funny. I always say

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is that when I people say I work at International Raw Materials or I say that I feel like um like if you watch the old Sean Connery James Bond movies where his cover is like he works for Universal Exports. That's why I always feel like no one's going to believe that I work for >> Wait, are you secretly James Bond? >> No, I'm not that talented. But it's it's like the name of the company, right? Um anyway, so International Raw Materials, as you can probably guess, uh does

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shipping and logistics for raw materials across the globe. Uh so it's a smaller team in the headquarters in Philadelphia. So I'm a human resources specialist. Uh so I primarily work in learning and development and then a little bit of talent acquisition. So that's one of the good things about smaller teams. You can kind of have your hands in multiple pots. um but primarily heavy on the learning and development and kind of safety training compliance. So I started that job about 3 years ago

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after working for a startup company for a long time which is where I met Mari your former co-worker as well that we were talking about earlier. >> Um >> yeah so >> if you want me to go all the way back sorry I forget the exact scope of >> No you don't need to go all the way back. Um but that that's great. And do you see yourself staying into into the HR kind of role in the future? >> Yeah, I think um I don't really have any plans to get out of it, but um I think

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there's a lot of ways you can specialize and I think learning and development kind of lines up with what I was interested in doing originally. So, uh it does work and I don't see myself getting out of that field for the time being, but it'll be interesting to see how it develops, right? and things we know than things we don't know. >> How has um this AI craze and you know obviously it's it's here. It's here to stay. Um how are you using AI in your role? >> Well, that's a good question. So, I've

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slowly started using it more and more. Um originally kind of just the initial things of, you know, can you help me make this email sound better? Um, and now kind of leveraging it a bit more to dig through things that I might not remember exist before, uh, putting my foot in my mouth. So, uh, really using it more as an as an assistant more than anything else, which I think is probably the best way to use it. But, uh, it develops so quickly. So, we'll see how everything goes. But, um, I think it'll

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be okay. Yeah, that's how that's how I'm and I'm personally using AI as well, kind of as a little assistant, a little it's like a little intern to like help me do um admin kind of work, busy, you know, rewrite emails, make this sound more polished, but take these few things and make it into a spreadsheet or make me a graphic that explains this, you know, piece of data. Um I frankly haven't quite figured out how to use it in more ways than that or we haven't invested into like AI software. So, um,

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but it's developing so fast that in a year the answer to that question might be totally different. I just don't know, you know, it's kind of wild. >> I will say unlike Jessica, I'm not good with numbers. So, if AI can just handle all my numbers, that that would really be the key use of it for me. If we can just delegate that, I think I'd be good. >> Yeah, for sure. That sounds great. Carlos, I did want to talk for a minute about um someone who was a mentor to you

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when you were a student at Manor because this person has been a mentor to a lot of people, a lot of students, a lot of employees at the college and we just um we just were able to honor her this past November as our evening with Manor gala honoree. and she's a current board member. Uh Jane Zegestowsky and I know that you had a special relationship with her and and just tell us about how she made an impact on you and tell us about you know your relationship with her. >> Yeah, so Jane was just a good boss to

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have because I worked with her as a student worker or work study or whatever it might have been called when she was um assistant dean for academic affairs maybe. Now I can't remember. >> Yeah, I think that's that's right. Yeah, >> something along those lines. So, I was her work study for a year, maybe a year and a half. I think it went well. Um, and Jane was just a good boss and a good, I think, guidepost for someone who, like I said, didn't really have any higher education experience in their

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family. Was kind of able to serve as a sounding board and and guidepost for those experiences. >> Oh, that's great. I definitely think we we have work studies um all all the time. different offices have them and I always find that the students who are the work studies obviously like they get an inside look at those offices at those people that they work with and it tends to be a very mutually beneficial relationship for the staff that gets to work with them or the faculty um but also for the student and I really think

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all of us who work here who've been here for a little while can share stories about students that we've had in the office has a work study and then they turn to an intern and then maybe we hire them and so on and so forth and it's always really special. So I'm glad to hear that that was kind of your experience with Jane. So let's settle the debate besides education. What's the one thing that a father judge grad misses the most when they are out in the professional world?

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Is it the father judge like brotherhood? Is it something else? What's And also what makes Father Judge um have this great amount of pride? You guys always have such great pride. >> That's a good question. I don't know. It was just a a lot of fun. It was four years a lot of fun. I was originally supposed to go to um Bishop McDevitt and I if I remember correctly, I think my mother was under the impression that that was also a single gender school and then she found out it wasn't and quickly

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put the kibosh on that adventure. So that's how I ended up going to judge. um which worked out for the best. I just had a lot of fun. I thought it was good four years. I feel like I learned a lot. Um obviously and I think everyone that was there I had good banter, good fun with. So, uh I just think it was a good experience. Um overall, I can't really >> I think the brotherhood is strong. It's that brotherhood. It really is. >> Maybe um >> that's cool. >> Something else judge.

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>> I don't remember. But that's all right. >> Yeah, it's all right. That's that's really cool. All right, Carlos. Well, last question for you. What advice would you give to college students today kind of you've been out of it for a little while now. What advice would you share with them um to help them and encourage them to keep persisting through? Uh, well, one, I think I'm probably gonna get a lot of anger from parents that watch this, but I think the soft

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skills are really kind of the most important things you pick up in college. So, pursue your interests, study what you want to study, and pick up the kind of the broad knowledge and the soft skills. Uh, but really also don't stress yourself out. Probably anything you go through in college, other people have also gone through and have also figured it out. So don't stress too much. Take advantage of your resources. Um and for the very much part for the big part things will work out okay. >> Mhm. Yeah. Yeah. Soft skills are huge. I

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think that's really important. Um, you know, when you look back at your college days, yes, you remember classes and things that you learned, but you really remember the people who were around you and the the moments, the fun, meeting your spouse, meeting your best friends, you know, those kind of moments. So, college is kind of a home for that as well. So, great advice. Thank you so much for sharing that, Carlos. Thank you for being with us today. Always a pleasure to talk to you. Best of luck to

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our newlyweds. And >> thank you. >> Um, congratulations again. We're so happy for you guys and thanks for being on the show. >> Thanks for having me. Take care. >> Thank you for tuning in today. If you like what you heard, listen and subscribe on Spotify or YouTube. Stay up to date with all new episodes by following Manor College on social media, Manor College. And that's a wrap on another episode of The Nest, stories about life after Manor College. Remember, Blue Jays, you belong here

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always.