Career and Internship Center
  1. Long ago and far away I was in a metal band, think of Mötley Crüe meets A Day to Remember. We were called TellTale Heart (I’m a super nerd). We played while I was an undergrad here at Siena. I had all my equipment in my dorm room in Hines. I was lucky enough to play all around New York and meet a ton of great people along the way. From dive bars to cool venues, it was a good time. I also was rocking a mohawk back then. 
  2. While I was a Siena student, I met some of my best friends in life. While most of us are doing different things, we try to always see each other. Most importantly I met Jen, my now wife, when I was a sophomore. Married for almost 1.5 years now, we decided Siena was very special and had our ceremony here at the Chapel with Father Dennis doing us the honor. It was where we met, proposed and got married, and now I work here! She’s pretty cool if I do say so myself.
  3. I try to draw when I can, I don't have very much time anymore, but if I have the opportunity I take it. I draw a lot of comic characters (again, even more of a nerd), but I draw a lot of Marvel stuff. Even though I'm a marketing guy, I love the creative side of life: music, drawing, or anything in between can be an art form. 
  4. Since 2018 I have been a NASM-certified personal trainer and have been in a few of the big local gyms. This past April, I decided it was time to start my own training adventure and created DeGroff Strength, where our goal is to be a little better than you were yesterday! 
  5. I truly do a ton of stuff so here's the rapid-fire round: I do construction and remodeling, and I used to be a project manager for an HVAC company for 6 years; I used to faint with needles and since I have a ton of tattoos, people wouldn't believe me; I am/was a freelance graphic designer for many years helping a lot of local businesses with logos and websites; I always try to keep learning no matter what it is, even going back to school for my MBA this year when undergrad was some time ago; I’ve also detailed cars, fixed phones, and built computers.
  6. In the last few years, we have done many adventures with our dog Zeus, who’s a lovable dingus of a dog. But if he could talk he’d tell you about the time he almost climbed all of Mt Marcy. He does enjoy the paddleboard though, so we do that as much as we can. We also have three cats that can keep us company when we are home. The last cat was actually found by Zeus while on a walk, so I had to keep him.
  7. Over the Covid years, I started to really enjoy hiking. I think at this point we have hiked seven high peaks with Zeus making six of them. I enjoy the breathtaking views and the good company. While I don't know if I’ll complete the 46, I’ll certainly hike a few more. 
  8. My latest and greatest adventure is restoring a ‘79 Corvette that was my grandfather's. He bought it in 1985 and drove it twice, then it sat in his garage until September of this year when I started to work on it. Since then, it's back on the road. I learned how to vinyl wrap and work on this relic of a car. Who knew you could have power windows and locks in ‘79? Not me. While I don't consider myself a mechanic, I enjoy working on cars. I especially appreciate the old ones that have been forgotten in time and the chance to give new life to something old and tired. I’ve always had a passion for cars since I was a kid going to car shows with my dad and mom, and now that I’m older and have adult money, well it's a dangerous game. 
  9. While a Siena student, I was super involved on campus. I was a CA and also worked for the basketball team so I never missed a game. I was the guy throwing the t-shirts. I also was a tutor for QBUS 300 and somehow managed to have an internship off campus. Needless to say I was busy, but I wouldn't have changed it for anything. I look back at my experience here and know that it did truly matter. 
  10. Lastly, I am an only child. High School wasn't my favorite thing because I never felt like I fit in. I was nervous about college and how was I supposed to make it here when I had a hard time in a much smaller school? Well, I surrounded myself with awesome people, friends of a lifetime that I never had before. People would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it. I felt a sense of belonging that I didn't have before and that meant the world to me. I met my wife here, my best friends, and had experiences I will never forget. It was the experience for a lifetime, and I learned one thing that I will never forget: “It’s nice to be important, but more important to be nice.”