Kerdansky Besson
Number 26, June 30, 2015
Kerdansky Besson ’16 is a business major in the marketing track, looking forward to a series of internships to test his enthusiasm and what he’s learning in his classes. This summer, he’ll be an intern with Joseph David Advertising (JDA) on St. Simons Island.
“I made up my mind to pick a major and stick to it,” he said. “I’m determined to graduate in four years. Marketing seemed like a good fit for me, especially advertising. I do some graphic design for campus flyers and things that Career Services needs and I got involved in social media working with Andrew.”
Andrew Smith is Director of Student Activities in the Office of Student Affairs. Besson credited Smith, Coordinator of Career Services Brian Weese, and Coach JB [Jonathan Barbaree, women’s basketball head coach] with recognizing his potential and being his mentors.
Besson has served as the student assistant for the women’s basketball team for two years. “I played basketball in high school. I really love basketball – it’s my absolute favorite sport – but it’s my avocation, not my calling,” he admitted. “As a basketball coach, you’re impacting lives and careers every single day. It’s too much for me. I appreciate it and have fun with it. But I don’t want the trauma and the drama – the responsibility – of being in a coaching position.”
Smith encouraged his spirit for volunteerism when he arrived on campus. “I knew community service was expected for college applications, so that’s what got me started in high school. Once I got to Coastal, I got involved with the Rotaract Club. It was a new club, a way to make new friends, and it was fun to get involved.”
Besson is a student assistant in Career Services. He said Weese pushed leadership potential. “That’s how I ended up as president of Rotaract. I’d never been in a leadership role before and I was seriously nervous about not knowing what to do. But once I made the commitment, I figured God had a plan for me. If God and Brian trusted me to do it, I decided I’d trust myself and, well, just do it.”
Rotaract received the 2015 Outstanding Organization Service Award in April during the 4th Annual Student Affairs Leadership Awards Ceremony. The award is presented to a group for participation in community service during the academic year that contributed positively to the CCGA campus or greater Brunswick/Camden community. Besson accepted the award on the group’s behalf.
“We accumulated 245 volunteer hours between fall term 2014 and spring 2015,” he said proudly. “That’s a lot of community and campus service by our members.” His personal favorite was the on-campus bonfire at Homecoming that Rotaract sponsored with the Student Government Association and Converge. “More than 150 people attended. I hope it becomes a Homecoming tradition.”
According to Besson, his Rotaract experiences have shaped him into a better person while teaching him a lot about life. “I’ve gained a sense of confidence and a deeper understanding of professionalism.”
His hometown is Roselle, New Jersey, but his family moved to Kennesaw when he was in 7th grade. His high school guidance counselor suggested he should consider the College of Coastal Georgia – and Besson is glad he did.