Michael Civitano ’17
What have you been up to since graduation?
Since graduating, I have been experiencing great growth and success in my career field! I have worked as an EMEA/Americas security manager for Pinterest, overseeing the physical security of the offices that Pinterest employees work from, while traveling abroad and providing security guidance to senior level executives. Since leaving Pinterest after a year and a half, I moved to Denver, Colorado to accept an amazing role with Twilio, as the Regional Physical Security Operations Manager of the Americas. It has been an amazing journey and I have lots of big projects coming up that I am excited to work on. The sky is the limit!
I have also been super active with the 501st Legion (a charity group based on creating screen-accurate Star Wars costumes while raising money for Make a Wish and other amazing charities!)
What is one of your greatest achievements since graduation from MCC?
Working at Pinterest and being able to continue to further refine my career goals, my skills I bring to the workplace, and employee interaction. It’s been great taking what I have learned at MCC and applying to real world career situations. The same goes for my current role at Twilio.
What is your fondest memory of MCC?
Being a new veteran, the MCC Veterans group has been amazing. The resources provided by the leadership in that office as well as talking and hanging out with fellow veterans has been an amazing step for me to refine my goals and achieve scholarly success.
What was your favorite place on campus and why?
As a veteran, I am biased and will say the veteran’s office. But, to be impartial I always enjoyed the food court areas and being able to kick back after a class and grab some food!
If you could offer a current MCC student advice, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to set lofty goals. Once I graduated from MCC, I immediately told myself that I wanted to work for a large company/tech and knew what I wanted in my life. Dedicate yourself to doing your job well, and put in the time, and apply for jobs that interest YOU. I applied to Pinterest thinking I’d never hear from them since I was a new graduate and two months later I was working in the amazing Manhattan office. Don’t quit and dream big!
Why was going to MCC the right decision for you?
As a returning Army veteran who had been out of school for 4+ years (and prior to that, went to MCC and did poorly), returning to school was an intimidating task. When I arrived for my first classes it became clear quickly that MCC makes sure to pick the best staff possible and to engage all students and make them successful. This led to my success at MCC and moving forward in my career!
What branch of service and where did you serve?
I served in the U.S. Army, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Infantry. No Deployments. Stationed at Fort Hood Texas.
How has COVID-19 impacted your current position?
During the COVID shutdown, all of the offices have been closed and we have been working from home. It has been an interesting and challenging time especially with working from home, making those projects hit due dates and ensuring we keep our “nose to the grindstone” without being distracted. But it’s also been great since I got a new puppy and it’s given me time to spend with him too!