Full Name: James Guaragna

Job Title: Advisor

Bio: 

James is originally from Dorchester, MA and currently lives in Boylston, MA. Prior to working at Dynamy, James worked in Higher Education for 8 years in residence life, orientation, and athletics. James received his Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Science degrees in Communication from Regis College in Weston, MA.

Questions

What makes Dynamy Unique?

Dynamy feels like a family. It’s small enough where interns get the individual attention and development that they need, but big enough where you feel like you’re a part of something bigger than yourself. You’re a part of the Dynamy community, the Worcester community, and a living community near so many restaurants and resources.

What is your favorite aspect of the program?

My favorite part of the Dynamy Internship Year program is Monday programming. It’s a set time that really gives the interns and the staff a chance to catch up on how everything is going in their lives. From independent living, future planning, or how their internships are going, it’s a time to get everyone together and build relationships as a collective team.

What is the best success story you’ve heard from a Dynamy student?

I worked with a student that got accepted into every college that they applied for, a total of 9 schools. Not only was this impressive, but it really goes to show that a gap year can help you take a step back and see what you want to do next. At Dynamy, that is with the guidance of an Advisor that can serve as a sounding board and provide resources above and beyond the surface level. I was so proud to see all of the hard work from a gap year pay off for this student.

If you could participate in an internship offered through Dynamy, which one would you choose?

If I could choose any internship at Dynamy I would choose to work at the Worcester Railers. As a huge sports fan, it’s the type of competitive and fast-paced environment that I really enjoy. I would enjoy the preparation that pairs so well with the game-day atmosphere- giving the best of both worlds. Getting to see some hockey once in a while doesn’t hurt either!

What is your favorite part of working in Worcester?

I love that Worcester feels like a big city while also embracing a small community feel. You get to know people in the area very quickly at your favorite local restaurant or coffee shop but still have so many options to go and explore. It’s such a fun city!

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful Gap Year?

The biggest factor in a successful gap year, to me, is utilizing the year to accomplish what you want. There is a reason why students that take a gap year are so successful after. It gives you the opportunity to prepare for those next steps without having a full high school or college course load on top of it. You get to experience many new things that can really help in making those next steps much more comfortable for your lifestyle than if you had rushed into a situation that wasn’t the right fit.

Dynamy is the longest-running US based, internship gap year program. With over 100 options for internships, opportunities to grow through independent living, and much more, contact us now to see if Dynamy is the choice for you!