posted October 8, 2014- written by Ashley Weselak, SOE Graduate Assistant
“I love that my job is so diverse. There is always a new challenge or something different to do. The job lets me pull from the things I have learned at school as well as in life.”
Andrew Kornacki originally chose Buffalo State because it was the practical option; the campus was located close to home and allowed him to continue activity with the New York Army National Guard.
Buffalo State also provided multiple opportunities for Kornacki to network and create meaningful contacts. The connections he made carried over into his present career and provide him with additional help, advice, and support in his current endeavors.
While at Buffalo State, Kornacki was involved in the Math Club, where he solidified relationships with individuals who shared his interests. He is involved in STEM research and the people he had the fortune of meeting in college are the same ones assisting in his success today.
One individual in particular, Dave Wilson, currently an associate professor in mathematics and co-director of Buffalo State’s Master Teacher Fellowship program, inspired Kornacki to take on the study of technology in the classroom. Dr. Wilson’s calm demeanor and passion for mathematics was refreshing and moving for Kornacki. He was able to use his mathematical skills to excel in his career and he learned to easily communicate with engineers and organize information efficiently.
After a few years of teaching, Kornacki realized that teaching was not the profession for him.
Although teaching itself did not end up being the right fit for Kornacki, he still wanted to be active in education and continue to support students, teachers, and schools. So, after leaving his post as an educator, Kornacki spent some time reflecting on why teaching didn’t work out as he had planned and what steps to take next.
Since then he has honed the skills he acquired in order to be a teacher, and uses them in other educational instructional forms.
Kornacki recognizes that taking a stake in one’s own professional development can be challenging, especially when managing work and a family. So he advises fellow young professionals to, “Always say yes to an opportunity to get outside of your comfort zone. Those are going to be the most rewarding opportunities to develop.”
“The thing that is most important to me is, no matter what the job is that I am doing, it has the greatest possible impact.”
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