Blake Lopianetzky (Class of 2014)
June 17th, 2021
PBA Alumnus Blake Lopianetzky (Class of 2014) Celebrates His Recent Graduation
Pacific Buddhist Academy congratulates alumnus Blake Lopianetzky on graduating from the Shidler Business program at the University of Hawai’i with a bachelor’s degree in business administration! Blake is currently applying his degree to a management position at Maile’s Thai Bistro and shares stories of his college experiences and long-term entrepreneurial goals.
Though the circumstances of working remotely made it difficult to join extracurricular activities in college, Blake joined the Omicron Zeta chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity where he was able to network with other peers. “Prior to joining, I was a bit on the fence as to whether I could invest my time into the fraternity, but it was a great experience and I met some of my closest friends through the organization,” said Blake.
“One college memory that sticks out to me would be an encounter with another alumnus, Kayla Suganuma (class of 2013). During the freshmen dormitory move-in day, I was walking alone towards the campus center to obtain a student ID and I ran into Kayla!” said Blake.“Since then, we’ve become close friends and see each other all of the time. It’s awesome to see how the roots of this friendship started at PBA and has developed into the amazing bond it is today.”
Blake had fond memories about PBA. “Some of my greatest memories took place during our school camping trips,” he reflected, “Cooking smores, playing sports and simply hanging out with teachers and peers unified our school community. School activities were conducive to my learning, maturing, and academic success.”
Blake’s advice to future PBA graduates includes finding a balance between work, school, and having fun. “The newly obtained freedom can be a bit overwhelming. It is important to recognize your priorities if you want to succeed,” he said.
“Blake was always a charismatic and engaging student, and I can see him having a natural affinity for a career in business. We are all proud of him and we wish him much success with his career goals,” said College and Career Counselor Ms. Viloria. With a long-term goal of pursuing an MBA, PBA is excited to see where Blake’s journey will take him next!
