ýIýve got the best of both worlds.ý
By day, Jabari Nurse ý26 is a dedicated and accomplished Seidenberg student, majoring in information technology. By night (and early morning, when there is practice) he is an integral member of the ý Menýs Basketball team. As he puts it, he relishes the opportunity to gain a valuable degree in tech while making an impact on the court.
ýI knew Pace was a great academic school and I know Iýll get a great degree from Pace, not to mention the strong sense of community. I feel like I had a great opportunity to excel as a person and a basketball player.ý
With a few years of experience under his belt, Jabari has been key in Pace basketballýs resurgence. After missing the NCAA tournament last year, the Setters came roaring out the gate with a 15-0 start, made their first-ever appearance in the NE-10 Conference Championship, and earned a berth in the national NCAA tournament. Jabari, a team captain, has started every single game this season, averaging 10.5 points and 5.4 reboundsýnot to mention his team-leading 18 blocks and savvy defensive presence, for which he was awarded All-Defensive team honors by the NE-10.
ýJabari is everything we look for in a Men's Basketball student-athlete here at Pace,ý says head coach Matt Healing. ýHe was named one of our team captains due to his incredible work ethic both on the court and in the classroom. Jabari is a tremendous player that received all conference honors, but his engaging personality and strong leadership qualities are what really makes him stand out.ý
I knew Pace was a great academic school and I know Iýll get a great degree from Pace, not to mention the strong sense of community. I feel like I had a great opportunity to excel as a person and a basketball player.
With all of his successes on the hardwood, Jabari remains laser-focused on immersing himself in everything that Seidenberg has to offer. Initially deciding between a major in computer science and information technology, he decided on IT in order to get a well-rounded view of the tech world while selecting a concentration in software development to build his coding acumen. Heýs particularly enjoyed learning the ins and outs of various coding languages.
ýMy first python class I took was one of my favorite classes, I really got to dive into coding and programs of my own,ý says Jabari. ýIt inspired me for the future as to what I could do in the future in software development.ý
Last summer, Jabari was able to leverage his classroom acumen into practical results, landing an internship at the insurance company Plymouth Rock Assurance in the Boston area. He considers his time at Plymouth Rock to have been extremely beneficial, enabling him to understand how his studies translate into a true business setting.
ýIt was a great, real-world experience. I was in the office, it was as if I was a full-time employee there. I was able to work through coding errors, help the business, and I worked with the team where I was able to brainstorm how to incorporate AI into the business and improve it. It was cool to see this shift to AI in the business world in real-time.ý
Jabari will graduate in 2026. He notes that heýs increasingly interested in the intersection of finance and technology, and is already taking steps to explore career options in fintech and the financial world. As a competitor, Jabari knows that making yourself valuable is a key to success in any life arena, and is exploring potentially earning a masterýs degree to further build his skills and become a ýdual threatý in the financial technology world.
All in all, Jabariýs drive and dedication has helped him ensure that no matter where he goes in the future, the ball is in his court.
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