Alumni Manolis Theodorakis & John Kollas meet prospective students

“It is always a great experience addressing prospective students,” says Manolis Theodorakis (DEREE ’85), HR & Polis Athens director at Toyota Hellas SA, who recounted stories of what it was like for him as a student and extolled the virtues of an ACG education during Discover DEREE Day in early July.

“I found students more mature than in the past, but more uncertain about their career,” Theodorakis noted after meeting with prospective students, adding “the lack of career counseling is more than evident. Parents’ main worry is both about the quality of education that their kids can have in Greece and the job opportunities their kids will have after graduation.”

Manolis Theodorakis (DEREE ’85), and John Kollas (DEREE ’86) – two distinguished alumni – were among those who shared experiences and pearls of wisdom with prospective students and parents during Discover DEREE Days held over the summer at The American College of Greece’s Aghia Paraskevi campus.

“I owe a lot to ACG,” John Kollas (DEREE ’86), executive director of Group HR at Greek cement giant Titan Cement, told guests at the Discover DEREE Day in late August.

“It was a catalyst for my development both as a person as well as a professional,” said Kollas, urging prospective students to work hard.

“In order to benefit from the ACG experience, you need to be eager to learn, be committed, disciplined, accountable, hardworking and a team player,” he advised. “If this is not how you plan to approach you studies, ACG is not for you – but you should also have in mind that these are the competencies needed in order to succeed in your professional career as well”.

Kollas also enthused about how glad he and his wife Renata (DEREE ’87) are that their daughter Alexia is studying at ACG, and are “confident that we are offering Alexia a great opportunity to unleash her potential.”

Theodorakis and Kollas were invited to take part in Discover DEREE Day in order to inspire prospective students and help them discover why DEREE is the right place to pursue their Bachelor’s degree.

Discover DEREE Days afford guests an opportunity to explore the DEREE campus, learn about academic programs, financial assistance and scholarships – and even take a class!

If you are interested in sharing your student and work life experiences in order to inspire future DEREE students in a Discover DEREE Day, please contact the Office of Development & Alumni Relations.

Next Discover DEREE Day, December 5.

Christos Baracos (DEREE ‘91), at “Marketing Today & Tomorrow: The Landscape for New Marketers,” held November 12 at ACG.

Artemis Gkaragani (DEREE ‘05), at “Marketing Today & Tomorrow: The Landscape for New Marketers,” held November 12 at ACG.

Alexandros Moukas (DEREE ’94), CEO and Co-founder of VELTI, visited campus and met with alumnus Evangelos Stravoudakis (DEREE ’92), alumna Ioanna Konstandinou-Stravoudakis (PIERCE ’86, DEREE ’90), whose class ITHM Entrepreneurship and Innovation he addressed, Manos Varouhas (DEREE ’91), Executive Director of Alumni & Parent Relations, and Mary-Irene Triantafillou (DEREE ’90), Executive Director of Development