Keith Donofrio remembered being the scared high school senior sitting in a metal folding chair for Accepted Students’ Day. Back then, he didn’t know what was in store for him — part of his own belief that life has its own plan for him.

As he walked into the gym for graduation rehearsal in April, he saw the faces of his classmates and the professors who got him to the finish line. The rush of emotions came back to him.

“The day I walked in the gym and saw all those faces, it meant the world to me,” Donofrio said. “I might not have seen some of those faces in years, but we all knew each other. We all were in a great mood because we know what we accomplished. It reminded me, when I see Manor, I see home.”

Donofrio hasn’t been to his Manor home in more than six months. In January, he began the Disney College Program, working at Disney World in Orlando. It was the internship of a lifetime, he said. He worked in a variety of roles around the theme park, including food and beverage management.

Donofrio graduates from Manor College in May with his bachelor’s degree in Business Analytics. After a quick trip home to receive his diploma, Donofrio will stay at Disney until Aug. 1. After completing the Disney College Program, he’ll begin working for Amazon as an Area Manager. He’ll oversee the efficiency of the warehouse near Trenton, making sure employees
receive their days off, complete training videos, and find ways to optimize delivery workflow.

“Manor gave me all the tools I need to communicate with people,” Donofrio said. “Manor can be such a small school that you see people all the time and get to know them. Everyone here comes from different backgrounds. You get to learn about different personalities. It’s helped me be a better manager.”

Donofrio discovered the job once he uploaded his profile to Handshake, a career job board through Manor College’s Career Center that allows employers to discover candidates for job openings. Once in Handshake, a recruiter from Amazon saw Donofrio’s prior experience with the company and reached out for an interview.

“I was brought in front of a bigger panel of people — process operations managers, analytics, and others,” Donofrio said. “They all sat in front of me and asked what my goals were with the company.”

In January, his goals were to work in analytics and become part of Disney’s leadership program. As new opportunities come to him through Amazon, Donofrio believes he has to ride the wave.

“I 100 percent believe that I can have a plan for myself, but life has its own plans for me,” Donofrio said. “I’m taking this path with Amazon because getting a foot in the door is the most important thing to me.”

As he prepares to leave Manor, Donofrio’s advice to incoming students is to take advantage of the opportunities the institution offers.

“Do everything you can while it’s right in front of you,” Donofrio said. “You have students who do everything, who have tried a little bit of everything in our school. That only helps you out in the future. Manor offers so much for a small community. Take advantage while you can.”

Learn more at Manor College, a private, associate’s- and bachelor’s-degree granting institution recognized for its academic excellence and personalized approach to ensuring each of our students leave ready to excel in their chosen fields.