“Not only did the program give me the skills needed to enter the professional world, but it also helped apply my natural social skills into a refined tool for business,” Giombetti said. “Even to this day, I still use the tools, notes and textbooks from my courses, and if I have a problem that the classes didn't prepare me for, they gave me the critical thinking skills to solve it.”
One of their proudest moments at the campus was helping to initiate a chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Association’s honor society, with Flanders, who both cite as one of several inspiring faculty mentors.
“I cannot thank them enough for the skills, knowledge and pieces of wisdom that I will remember for the rest of my life,” Davis said.
“If I could describe my professors in one word, it would be ‘unforgettable,’” Giombetti said. “Maybe it's because we’re still fresh out of college, but Chris and I often talk about our professors and how much of an impact they had on our careers and lives.”
Business beginnings
After graduating last year, both of them quickly landed jobs — Davis with a digital marketing agency in Harrisburg and Giombetti with KKPR, where he continued to be mentored by Foster.
While they both enjoyed the work they were doing, something was pulling them in a different direction.
“I loved the work I was doing, but I hated being away from NEPA and my family,” Davis said. “One day, I just had the epiphany I wanted to do something on my own for work. I had no idea what that something was, but I knew it was back in NEPA.”
Upon moving back to the area in October, Davis met up with Giombetti for coffee. By the end of their conversation, they had decided to go into business together.
Having followed the significant growth of the video gaming industry, they quickly realized they could take their hobby and turn it into a viable business model. Initially, they thought about opening a gaming café.
From there, they turned to the campus’ Scranton LaunchBox business pre-incubator for assistance. There, Penn State Scranton's Center for Business Development and Community Outreach Director John Drake and Lecturer in Business and Economics Frank Sorokach, MBA, advised them to change course and focus on the professional side of gaming.
With their direction determined, they then turned to another campus community member for help — Information Sciences and Technology Lecturer and Program Co-coordinator Fred Aebli, who agreed to design their website.
Currently, Davis and Giombetti are busy meeting with prospective clients and marketing the business throughout the region. Long term, they have a number of goals, including starting their own esports team and building a facility.
“We know people can be shy or feel alienated for having video games as a passion, and we want to fix that,” Giombetti said. “We're working on breaking the stigma that video games have carried by showing that it can be a profession and a lucrative one at that.”
Ever thankful for the opportunities afforded to them by the campus, the business partners intend to stay active as alumni. In fact, Davis was recently elected secretary of the Penn State Scranton Alumni Society.
“I loved my four years at Penn State Scranton and now want to give my time and energy back to the university that did so much for me,” Davis said. “I believe my four years at the Scranton campus really shaped me into the person I am meant to be. The campus challenged me, but also rewarded me in many ways. I didn’t just get to be a student at Penn State Scranton, I got to be a part of a campus community that cared about my success, and that will stick with me forever. For me, Penn State Scranton is now my family.”
“If it weren't for the campus' support and the connections I made,” Giombetti said, “I wouldn't be here now.”