Name: Esaul Helena
Major: Finance, Minor in Economics
Current Occupation: Student
Hometown: North Bergen, New Jersey
Current Location: On campus
Activities on Campus: ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting), BABY Dolls, and SGA
Fun Fact: I was born in the Dominican Republic.
Favorite Quote: “A change is brought about because ordinary people do extraordinary things.” Barack Obama
Esaul has been chosen as a Her Campus WPUNJ celebrity not only because of his impressive line of work but also the astounding work he has put forth with the clubs he is currently involved in. Esaul is a sophomore, majoring in Finance with a minor in Economics. He joined the WPUNJ Men’s Swimming and Diving team as a sprinter. After speaking with a teammate, Esaul learned about SGA and how it could help him as an individual. After taking interest in becoming a Representative for The College of Business, he was appointed in October 2013. Nothing could stop his momentum. He joined the SGA Finance committee, where he was chaired by the person who introduced him to SGA, Nicolai Robinson. Esaul also started a club on campus with the help of his fellow classmates called, “The Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA),” which is a club that promotes Latino leadership within the corporate community and prepares students for what is expected of them in the corporate world. In spring semester of his freshman year Esaul was appointed temporary SGA Treasurer. He ran for the position in Spring 2014 and won. Winning the election gave Esaul a greater understanding of SGA and the university as a whole. That same year during the SGA Awards, he was nominated for and awarded the Rising Star award, which is given to a freshman or sophomore student that shows potential to grow within the Student Government. In spring of the following year he ran for the new position of Vice President of Allocations and won. Esaul also worked as an orientation leader this summer where he took bits and pieces of all the knowledge and leadership training given to him by the university and hopes to share it now and with incoming students.
HC: How would you describe your experience at WPUNJ?
EH: Overall William Paterson University was 1000 times better than I thought it would be. I remember in high school different people telling me about William Paterson and how it wasn’t an ideal school for my major, it wasn’t really fun, it was in the ghetto, (they associated William Paterson with Paterson, NJ) and I wouldn’t really get a good education here. I found myself believing some of those statements, but in the one year that I’ve been here that all was proven wrong. Through my experiences here I’ve grown as an individual and as a professional. I’ve had experiences here that I don’t think I would’ve gotten at the schools I had at the top of my list a year and a half ago. I’ve accomplished a lot more than I thought I ever would. My plan was originally to come here and transfer to another university, but my experiences and the home environment I’ve been exposed to made me change my mind. It’s just been great overall. It has provided me with good friends, good relationships with my advisors, motivated me to push myself to things I would’ve never seen myself doing, and I love it.
HC: What made you decide that William Paterson was the school for you?
EH: As I mentioned before William Paterson was not my top school. I had intentions on attending The University of New Haven, in Connecticut, but that all changed when I found out that the Swim team wanted me to swim for them. What sealed the deal was my first visit to campus as a Pioneer Overnight (thanks to Carlos Cano and Ed Pacella). I loved the campus, the feeling of community and togetherness within the campus community. I met with professors (with Ed During my Pioneer Overnight Program), and they really showed true passion in what they were doing. If I hadn’t visited the campus and interacted with members of the WP community I probably wouldn’t be here. I thank God that I made the decision to come that day in February — It changed my viewpoint on WP overall.
HC: What is your greatest achievement here at WPUNJ?
EH: Being a member of the SGA Executive Board as a freshman student.
HC: How did you get involved with SGA?
EH: I first got involved in the SGA as part of the legislature, being the College of Business Representative. After that I started a club called ALPFA – Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting.
HC: If you were to give your younger self a piece of advice what would it be?
EH: To never be afraid of attempting something new, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone.
HC: What do you dream to do once you graduate?
EH: To use all I’ve learned in and out of the classroom and apply it to my career.
HC: What do you hope to accomplish within the next year?
EH: To grow more as an individual and a leader.
HC: What do you wish to take away from your experience here at WPUNJ?
EH: I wish to instill these skills and qualities I’ve grown to develop, and am still developing, into the minds of others, and help motivate those who want to get involved in something but are afraid to. I hope to eventually go work in the field of Higher Education and help people grow as leaders.