As a graduate of a local high school, Victor Kolbay, BS Accounting ’15, was familiar with George Mason University long before he registered for his first course. Choosing to live on campus for the first year, he became immersed in the culture, loving every moment of it, including his participation in the Green Machine, Mason’s renowned pep band. Of course, he enjoyed his classes and learned a lot, but the rest of his Mason experience was just as fulfilling. Kolbay, now an accounting manager at Logenix International, holds dear to his heart the events, buildings, faculty members, and hangout spots that made his student experience so special.
One Mason alumnus with whom Kolbay regularly reminisces with is the chief financial officer of Logenix, Jason Chesky, BS Finance ‘12. “It’s fun to talk with someone about things we remember from campus, whether it be working out at the Skyline gym or going to Southside dining hall or the campus bar,” he says. Speaking with Chesky and other alumni, Kolbay enjoys seeing how the university has changed over time but also how the traditions and culture have continued. Mason is different from many universities, in that the majority of alumni staying in the region, growing the community, and enabling more networking opportunities. Kolbay encounters Patriots often, and they frequently bond over sharing their common experiences.
When he was narrowing down schools to attend, the location of Mason, in one of the busiest and most influential regions, was a definite selling point. That location also helps attract top talent among the faculty and Kolbay’s education was particularly augmented by the adjunct faculty who taught him. “Many of my professors had full time careers in government or accounting, and they did a really good job in branching their work lives with the students and helping network,” he says. The passion of Kolbay’s instructors led him to develop a real love for accounting, expanding his horizons, and giving him a better understanding of the globalization of the subject.
Victor Kolbay has carried over his love for accounting into a rewarding career at Logenix. “I love how every day brings something different and we have offices all around the world,” he says. Culture was important to him at Mason and it’s important to him now in the workplace. Dynamic young professionals, like Kolbay, pump energy into an already engaged alumni community while offering a fresh perspective. He has become a rising star among the younger generation of alumni, building upon the Mason traditions of excellence and leadership.