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Jj Perdido ��򽴫ý�23 knows who he is and what he wants, and he��򽴫ý�s driven to achieve every goal he sets for himself. As a digital journalism major and regular contributor to the , the student-run newspaper on the Pleasantville Campus, Perdido has taken on many responsibilities in his tenure here. He��򽴫ý�s a first-generation student mentor, an Orientation Leader, and a member of both the Setters Leadership Program and Alpha Chi Rho fraternity��򽴫ý�all roles he��򽴫ý�s served with pride. ��򽴫ý�The one thing I want out of life is to become a father and teach my children how to become more successful than me. And hopefully the people [who] I have the chance to influence can take that same mentality of setting up those you affect to become more successful than you,��򽴫ý� Perdido told us.

Those leadership qualities started early on when he joined his high school��򽴫ý�s morning news show, The Warrior News, in his sophomore year. ��򽴫ý�I really felt in my element and that being a news anchor [was] definitely what I want[ed] to do,��򽴫ý� Perdido explained. ��򽴫ý�I think it��򽴫ý�s very important to know what is going on in your community and [the] world. That is what news brings you.��򽴫ý� He also discovered his love of writing then, too, which set him on the path of pursuing a career in journalism. ��򽴫ý�There��򽴫ý�s something about the simplicity of it; putting your thoughts on paper is so appealing to me. We��򽴫ý�ve been doing it in different forms for hundreds of years and it evolves slightly, but still has so much impact.��򽴫ý�

When it came to choosing a college, Pace seemed like a natural fit. And when Perdido toured the Pleasantville Campus, his decision to apply Early Action was solidified. ��򽴫ý�I��򽴫ý�ve loved every second here, have met many people, and have gotten more opportunities to get involved than one person could ever handle,��򽴫ý� he told us, and he��򽴫ý�s certainly taken advantage of everything we have to offer. Recently, Perdido was named sports editor for the Pace Chronicle, which involves a lot more than just writing articles. ��򽴫ý�I reach out to our sports representative and let him know what I want to write about, and he��򽴫ý�ll set me up with an athlete to interview. The most difficult part is scheduling it, since I am usually busy, as well as the athlete, as well as our sports representative. It typically works out, but that is probably the biggest challenge,��򽴫ý� he explained.

As a journalist, Perdido has had to hone his people skills, which he said he initially picked up from two unlikely jobs: one at a moving company near his hometown in Pennsylvania, and another with Pace��򽴫ý�s IT Helpdesk as a student assistant. ��򽴫ý�To put it into perspective, there are certain ways that we have to carry different pieces of furniture,��򽴫ý� Perdido said of his moving job. ��򽴫ý�Some can be anywhere from 200 [to] 400 pounds. There have been times where we will begin to carry a large couch, for instance, and halfway to the trailer, the client will ask us to turn around and bring it back because it is not supposed to go.��򽴫ý� Uh, yikes.

On the flip side, in his job for the IT Helpdesk, Perdido was faced with client requests that his department didn��򽴫ý�t handle, such as, for example, with Blackboard, which another team is in charge of. ��򽴫ý�The problem is, [they��򽴫ý�re] usually very backed up and may take a couple days to fix individual problems. Some people cannot wait that long and have exams or assignments due hours or minutes after they call us. It��򽴫ý�s difficult to tell them that there��򽴫ý�s nothing we can do in a stressful situation for them,��򽴫ý� he said. Sounds like he had to cultivate a lot of patience and dedication, and it shows in all his work��򽴫ý�particularly as a member of Alpha Chi Rho.

��򽴫ý�My fraternity��򽴫ý�s motto is ��򽴫ý�Be Men,��򽴫ý���򽴫ý� Perdido told us. ��򽴫ý�I think being a man means to care for those around you and to be a beam of light for those you can be one for. I definitely think that trying to influence those around you in a good manner is one of the most important things that you can do in life. My fraternity has taught me that.��򽴫ý� Wise words.

It��򽴫ý�s clear that in everything he does, Perdido is passionate about affecting change and giving back to his community. We��򽴫ý�re so excited to see what he achieves next! You can say you knew him when.