When David Asatryan ’22 stepped onto the Brooklyn College campus in 2018, he knew it was the school for him. He had been accepted to a prestigious private college elsewhere in the state but balked at the cost. But mostly it was the school’s “vibe” that sealed his decision. It felt off.

At Brooklyn College, it was spring, and everything was alive, the landscape vibrant green. People were everywhere. He talked to students hanging out on the quads.

Asatryan moved to the United States from his native Armenia in 2016 after completing military service there, “on the Fourth of July, of all dates, although not on purpose,” he says.  As a new immigrant, he had no idea how higher education worked in the United States; he visited Brooklyn College on the advice of a friend. “Going on instinct,” he says. He was excited by what he saw. The school felt right, so he applied and was accepted.

Instinct would carry him only so far, however. With no idea what he wanted to major in, Asatryan took his time; he cites access to the wide variety of programs and courses at the college and the time he got to explore them as the reasons for his success in choosing a major. He settled on a B.B.A. in international business—which made sense to him, given his European background—with a minor in personal finance.

For Asatryan, instinct and research were two crucial factors in choosing the right school and gaining the right degree; another was the faculty.

“I was dreading taking an English course and [adjunct lecturer] Adam Bangser was such a great guy. He was actively interested in my background and pushed me to write even when it wasn’t relevant to the material that we were studying,” he says.

Asatryan credits Cindy Pham, associate professor of managing, marketing, and entrepreneurship, with helping him make the most of his time at Brooklyn College.

“Professor Pham is incredible. She is very much invested in every student’s life. She inspired me to knock on doors and ask questions, look for programs, explore opportunities.” She even motivated him to revive a chapter of the International Business Association club. He also became a peer mentor.

According to Asatryan, stellar academic programs and top-notch faculty will still only get you an education and a degree but not always show you what to do with them. “That’s part of the risk,” he says. “You want the education, it’s an investment in your future, but you need to know where you can go with that degree.” You also need to gain real-life experience through internships. Asatryan completed internships at Amazon, the landscaping and architecture company EKLA at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, digital financial media outlet Blockworks, and New York State Senator Kevin S. Parker’s office, which was funded by a Magner Career Center stipend.

He enjoyed all of them. “They helped me gain confidence and be open to jobs not directly related to my major,” he says.

Working for senator doing ghostwriting, digital marketing, and campaign management was especially rewarding.

“Part of my job was trying to get the word out about resources during the pandemic—foods, supplies, healthcare—to the senator’s Brooklyn constituents, particularly in the Flatbush area. It was wonderful work and a great opportunity thanks to Brooklyn College,” he says. The internship was a crash course in public relations that Asatryan took with him to his present job.

Today, he works as an account manager at Cognito, a global public relations and marketing agency specializing in finance, sustainability, and technology.

“We help organizations tell the right stories, build credibility with the media, and provide trusted counsel,” says Asatryan. “It’s a fascinating job because every day there is something new that is happening, and you are working with so many experts— chief economists, CTOs, CEOs, founders—it’s nonstop learning. A big part of my role is to take complicated, complex topics within finance and technology and simplify them into stories people actually understand.”

Asatryan, who will be participating in an admissions event for prospective business students on February 19, has this advice for those who are thinking about Brooklyn College:

“Do your research, make the necessary appointments with admissions if you need to, but also, visit the campus, visit the library, which is terrific,” he says. “Spend time by the lily pond. Look around, talk with current students, and see how it feels to be there.”