Moving into the dorms is an exciting and nervous time for most people, and I was no exception. I had seen movies and I had some idea as to what to expect when I got to Winona State, but I also was clueless to who my friends would be or the activities I would participate in. After about a week, I had my roommate figured out, I knew my neighbors, and I thought I had it made. But it wasn’t too long before I met Joey Biksacky, one of the most outgoing and authentic friends anyone could have.
Joey is a senior in the College of Business majoring in Business Administration. After graduating in May, Joey will apply for a recruiter position at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN so he can help new staff feel comfortable in their new workplace by being a friend they can talk to if they have any questions or concerns.
A Friend to Everyone
Upon first meeting Joey, he will look you in the eyes and shake your hand, and from that moment he is your friend. He doesn’t care about where a person comes from, what teams they root for, or what their major is; he will be there for his friends. When Joey walks through campus, he’s always waving hello or stopping to talk to multiple people. Despite being quiet and reserved as a child with a small circle of friends, Joey has grown out of being shy and able to embrace who he truly is– a friend to all.
Joey wants to be a recruiter because he’ll be able to use his natural talent of connecting and motivating individuals in a way to get them to work better together. “Making people happy and making people feel more comfortable is what motivates me… I want to be the one to make people feel more comfortable at the Mayo Clinic so they do not go through the shy phase I went through…to give them a friendly face they can count on from day one.”
Opportunities at the College of Business
Since being admitted to the College of Business, Joey has always been impressed by the amount of industry-specific opportunities that are available to students in every business program. For instance, Joey recently attended a Networking Night that hosted employers from many different fields of interest. Just a few companies showcased were Kwik Trip, Apple, and even Enterprise.
On top of the many events he’s attended, Joey also loves how close he has gotten with his professors. Joey says “I was able to build a real relationship with almost all of my professors. I felt that the professors took the time to know who I was and my own struggles.”
This sense of community is partly due to the small classes. Most of Joey’s classes had about 25-30 students but some had just nine students enrolled. Because of the small class sizes, Joey was able to get lots of one on one interactions with his professors, helping him to learn even more about the subject at hand. Much like Joey hopes to do with recruits, he believes he can go to a professor with his questions or concerns and they will take the time to listen to him.
Furthermore, the professors are experts in their fields, having earned PhDs or DBAs in their specific fields. On top of their educational backgrounds, most professors are currently running businesses or have worked for a business and can provide real-world examples to the students. Joey appreciated the rich knowledge these professors brought to their classes—even though it made some classes tough for Joey, as the professors shared more complicated concepts and taught advanced subjects.
When Joey graduates this spring, he will be greatly missed by the professors, his peers, and myself who have been lucky to work with him. With his unwavering positivity and friendliness, Joey will impact many people throughout his life. The proof is in his personal mission statement: “I’m very passionate about making a difference in someone else’s life… If I can help someone in a meaningful way every day, then I will go to work a happy man.”
Allen Richardson
Liked Joey’s story? Meet more awesome students in the More Than a Major Series!