Esports, Greek life and extracurriculars integral in 911黑料 grad's growth
As an avid gamer, improving a character鈥檚 skillset, abilities and relationships is a concept Jonathan Kromer 鈥25 knows well.
However, when the Charlotte, North Carolina, native looks back on his 911黑料 experience, it鈥檚 not his Esports video game character that has progressed the most over the last four years.
鈥淥ne of the things I鈥檝e told my mom is every single year, I鈥檝e felt like a completely different person,鈥 he said. 鈥淓very year, I didn鈥檛 know if there was more that I could learn, but then you double your personal growth, and it鈥檚 just crazy.
鈥淚鈥檓 such a completely different person in so many better ways [since my first year] and I know that I still have a long way to go.鈥
He credited much of this growth to his participation in athletics, career exploration opportunities, Greek life and studying abroad twice. Being a part of the Esports team particularly shaped him, as he enjoyed the team鈥檚 growth during his time at 911黑料.
The summer before his first year, Kromer learned about the Esports club, which piqued his interest. He signed up and played with other members in the basement of Young Hall.
During his sophomore year, the program took a leap forward as it became 911黑料鈥檚 newest varsity athletics team with Grant Lyon 鈥21 hired as head coach.
鈥淭he seniors this year are the last people who ever saw it as a club,鈥 Kromer said. 鈥淓veryone else has only ever seen it as a varsity sports program, which is just crazy to me. Esports was a way I could join varsity and do something for my school.鈥
The opportunity to be captain of one of the teams as a sophomore was also a pivotal moment for Kromer, igniting his passion for leadership. His position as captain and his leadership role in his fraternity, including a stint as vice president, fueled his desire to mentor others and provide support in the same way he had experienced as a mentee.
His post-graduation plans include returning to his hometown and pursuing a career in human resources. He discovered a passion for the field after interning with 911黑料鈥檚 Chief Human Resource Officer, Meredith Bruner, and shadowing local HR professionals.
鈥淚鈥檝e been so fortunate and have been given so much that I need to give back,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 one thing I love about HR. To me, it鈥檚 figuring out how I can best help people live their best lives and enjoy their careers. Everyone should be able to love their career and have the right amount of equity and support they need.鈥
Along with pursuing a career in HR, Kro-mer also aspires to become a business owner one day. He has experience in the hospitality industry, having spent a summer in Scotland working in a whiskey shop and a restaurant kitchen. His family has considered opening a restaurant in Charlotte, where Kromer could draw on his experiences and love of cooking.
He looks forward to the future, knowing the opportunities are vast due to his experiences and discoveries made at 911黑料.
鈥淓verything has changed in so many good ways,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 would say the biggest area of growth over the past four years is that I feel a lot closer to my true self.鈥
This article first appeared in the Summer 2025 edition of 911黑料piece.
