Justin Decknick

Vice President of Sales and Branding

Extracurricular learning helps alumnus build future business skills

Truly360

EMCC alumnus Justin Decknick is currently the vice president of Sales and Branding at Truly360, the largest Google Trusted Agency worldwide. It was the 2008 recession that helped him come to the decision to pursue a new educational opportunity. “I found myself needed an extra set of skills to be competitive and attractive in the marketplace,” he said.

While Glendale Community College was a bit closer in location for Decknick, he wanted to see what Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) had to offer. During that initial visit, he found a time-saving route that made the possibility a bit more beneficial. He solidified his decision to come to EMCC after discovering all the college had to offer him. Decknick was encouraged to take a career assessment – a test that would help him in selecting a career path that would best fit his natural attributes and interests. “The assessment put me on the path to begin my pursuit of obtaining the general business degree from EMCC.”

Being involved in many different activities at EMCC is something Decknick cites as aiding his success. “I developed skills that I regularly utilize in my professional career,” he said. He served as president and was a founding member of the Entrepreneur Club, where he organized many meetings, delegated tasks and executed goals to support learning and development of his business skills. He was a speaker in the college’s “Brown Bag” series, which he said helped him learn to “communicate effectively to a crowd, develop methodologies in presenting information, and learning to understand complex situations.” Decknick was also a winner of the All-Arizona Academic Team scholarship, and the exposure he gained from that award has served as a positive credential in the aggregate market.
 
Decknick is a great example of how maximizing extracurricular opportunities at EMCC can help students build a solid pathway to reaching and transcending goals. He feels extremely positive about his experience. “I really enjoyed my time at EMCC, and feel it helped propel my professional aspirations forward.” In addition to the programs he participated in, he says the supportive environment was also a huge benefit. “I still drive by from time to time and although the landscape is a bit different, I still remember the sense of wonder I had about my future walking those very grounds.”