Countdown to Commencement with Seth Braquet ’19
When we asked Seth Braquet ’19 to lend his advice to someone considering Endicott College who isn’t from the area, this is what he said, “This is a place that is unlike any other place in the world. Take that chance. I know it might be scary to go live in a place and travel somewhere you’ve never been before but if you step outside your comfort zone and that bubble you’ve been living in you have the opportunity to meet so many great people.”
Braquet speaks from experience as he made the choice to come to Endicott four years ago from New Orleans. He said, “The networking and connections I’ll have for living up here for four years are incredible. You never know where you’re going to end up so it’s good to have that outside experience of living on your own and that’s something that no one can take away from you.”
Seth Braquet (right) and his fellow seniors on the
Endicott men's volleyball team after winning the
2019 New England Collegiate Conference championshipBraquet started playing volleyball when he was a student at Holy Cross High School in New Orleans. It was there that he created the Men’s Beach Volleyball Club which is still running. He quickly understood that his goal was to play collegiate volleyball. He and his family took a northeast trip to several schools and Endicott was his favorite.
“I came for an overnight visit and I was able to practice with the team and see what collegiate volleyball really was like and it made it apparent that I wanted to go here,” he said.
Braquet said Endicott is a whole lot like home. “Coming to Endicott was absolutely like a community, in a lot of ways it’s like New Orleans,” he said. “Everyone’s very hospitable, everyone’s holding doors open for everybody, it’s really great to see that.”
He also noted the physical beauty of our campus. “Coming from the south it’s just flat land. And when I came here I was amazed that there’s mountains and rocks and hills. Especially being here on the ocean and to be able to visit those places it’s peaceful and a really nice sight for the eyes.”
Braquet shared, “The first time I stepped onto campus during my visit I went to Misselwood and looked out into the ocean and I had my parents take a picture of me because I was so excited and I could just feel that excitement in the air for me and knew it was the right place. It’s been an amazing experience that I’ll always remember and treasure. Everything that’s come out of Endicott as a whole has been an unreal experience.”
As a business management major with a minor in biotechnology, Braquet said, “I’ve been able to learn a lot of skills that I will use as part of my universal tool belt.” Skills he will bring with him as he enters into the medical sales field having worked for DePuy Synthes as one of his three required internship experiences.
As he prepares to graduate, Braquet reflected on the opportunity he found here, “Endicott is such an amazing place with so much opportunity. Not too many schools provide you with an opportunity to get an internship that’s mandatory."
Q&A with Braquet
How do you think Endicott has prepared you for the future?
Endicott has prepared me just by giving me the ability to learn and I think that is one of the most important characteristics you need going into your career. Just the ability to adapt. My courses really put the pressure on us to dive deep into the research, find things quickly, comprehend them, and then present the findings. That has really prepared me for the future.
Will you be proud to call yourself an Endicott alumnus?
I’ll be proud to call myself an alumnus. Just in my four years this place has transformed so much. From buildings to the volleyball program skyrocketing, I’m just so proud to be a part of all the history that’s been made here and I’m excited for all the future students who choose to come to Endicott.
How will Endicott continue to shape your life?
It will continue to shape my life in a lot of ways. I feel like I’ve been more of a leader since I’ve been here and I want to express that getting out of your comfort zone is such an important thing in life.
What is it like to be in the volleyball court representing Endicott?
The feeling of being on the volleyball court with all those fans behind you is something that words can’t explain. It’s so energetic and at every single point you have your fans backing you and cheering for you. You always remember that.
Are you going to miss being on that court?
I will definitely miss being on that court. After our last game when we lost, the emotions ran wild. Walking into that locker room for the last time and seeing my name up on that locker is something that I’ll always cherish.
Endicott’s Undergraduate College Commencement ceremony will be held Saturday, May 25 at 10:30 a.m. For more information, visit endicott.edu.