Friday Knight Alumni Spotlight Q&A
Tell us about yourself. Where you live now, career, and/or family news. What have you been up to since you left Geneseo?
Originally I grew up in Horseheads, NY, but after graduating from SUNY Geneseo I moved to the Rochester, NY area. I currently live in Pittsford, NY with my beautiful wife (married in 2019) and two little dog-children (a Shih Tzu-Maltese mix and King Charles Cavalier-Poodle Mix)—no real children just yet. I'm Vice President and Master FunCrafter at Blue Apple Productions, an event entertainment company, and have been working there since 2015. I invest a lot of my time in my work, but outside of that I most enjoy quiet time at home with my wife and dogs, watching movies, reading books etc. Since graduating, I've stayed connected to the Geneseo community in a few ways, the most recent being my involvement in the Welcome to the City Program the past few years. I've helped organize summertime events in Rochester focused on welcoming new graduates and alumni transitioning to a new city.
What motivates you to work hard?
I'm motivated by an internal need for excellence. I may not always reach excellence, but aiming for it drives me forward.
What trait do you like most about yourself?
I like that I'm optimistic. I easily find the positive in situations and take a longer-term, forward looking view that makes most challenges, disruptions and failures less potent.
Who are your heroes in real life?
My real-life heroes are my parents. They unfortunately both died far too young, but their memories stick with me and each of them had qualities I try to emulate.
What are you passionate about?
I'm passionate about my work. It's been close to six years that I've been in the event world and there's something about the fast-paced, exciting nature of it all and being instrumental in providing fun entertainment that leaves you quite satisfied when you see it all come together.
Are you related or distantly related to anyone famous?
Not that I can think of! If anything, with any luck, and a lot of hard work, my descendants will answer "Steve Korchynsky" to this question.
If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to and why?
If time travel was possible, I'd have a number of stops on the agenda. Most notably I'd certainly go back to the college days (2008-2012) to relive some fun times with friends, I'd make multiple stops in the 80's to soak in the pop culture, and then I'd be off to the late 70s to spend some time with my parents when they were around the same age I am today.
What kitchen appliance do you use every day?
Stovetop—in my opinion, when reheating something, it makes for a higher-quality meal than using a microwave.
Who is your favorite author?
Stephen King—I highly recommend the Institute.
What was your favorite class or professor at Geneseo?
I always enjoyed my Marketing classes with Professor Alam.