COM '16, Matthew Lunghino

Where do you currently work and could you describe what you do?

I currently work at FIFTEEN (formerly 15 Fingers) as a Project Manager. FIFTEEN is a full-service advertising agency in downtown Buffalo comprised of 20 employees. My role as a Project Manager is to be the liaison between our clients and the creative team at our agency. I ensure that projects are completed on time, on budget, and meet client standards. While I wear a lot of hats at FIFTEEN, my specialties include social media management and print production. In addition to my client-facing role, I also share office manager duties with my coworkers and often assist with agency events and activities.

What are your favorite memories of Canisius?

 My favorite memories of Canisius include having the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy, spending countless hours in the Marie Maday Theatre in Lyons Hall, and meeting lifelong friends.

What advice do you have for current students?

 As cliché as it may sound, the best advice I can give is to maintain a positive attitude in everything that you do. Whether it’s negative people or a string of bad luck, it can be so easy to get caught up in a funk and let it consume you. While you can’t prevent these things from happening, what you can do is control how you respond to adversity and make a conscious choice to not allow these instances to affect your well-being. It shows a great deal of strength to be able to roll with the punches and treat each hurdle as a learning experience.

Were you involved in any clubs or internships at Canisius?

While at Canisius, I was heavily involved with Little Theatre, both onstage and behind the scenes. Additionally, I was a member of CrescenDON’Ts, Lambda Pi Eta, and dabbled with some photography for The Griffin on occasion.

I was very fortunate to have completed three internships during my time at Canisius. As a freshman, I worked with the producers of Winging It! Buffalo Style at WIVB-TV (which is, sadly, no longer on-air). During my senior year, I interned with Jud at Kiss 98.5 where I assisted with on-air contests and social media content creation. In my final semester, I went on to intern at 15 Fingers, which ultimately led to the full-time position that I have today!

How do you think Canisius prepared you for the real world?

Canisius provided me with an excellent educational and spiritual foundation in order to prepare for the “real world”. I was exposed to a variety of perspectives and beliefs that challenged what I knew (or thought I knew) and allowed me to achieve a deeper understanding of not only myself, but the world around me. Also, the connections that I made while at Canisius have been invaluable, and it’s a constant comfort to know that there are plenty of fellow Griffs out in the world that are more than happy to lend a hand or listening ear if called upon.