From undergrad to leader-in-training at a top-50 global company

When John Boris walked across the stage to receive his FIU diploma, he wasn’t thinking about algorithms or automation. He was thinking about people. A recent graduate of FIU’s Honors College and the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA), Boris is stepping confidently into a career that reminds us of something technology can’t replicate: the human connection. 

In an era where AI is transforming workplaces and reshaping how companies hire, Boris has found his place in human resources, a field driven by empathy, understanding and relationships. “AI can help with certain processes,” he said, “but it can’t replace relationship-building, critical thinking, and the ability to connect authentically with people.” 

That belief led him to Nestlé, a multi-billion-dollar global food and beverage company that operates over 2,000 brands and produces 10,000 different products on five continents, from coffee and tea to bottled water, infant formula, ice-cream, frozen dinners and pet food, to name a few. 

Boris is part of the company’s prestigious two-year career accelerator program, which is preparing him for HR leadership roles. He joins more three dozen other FIU alumni as part of Nestlé’s 270,000-strong worldwide workforce. He currently works in Nestlé’s Ohio location and will travel to factory sites across the United Sates. 

“You get to manage real projects, present to leadership and learn the full spectrum of Nestlé HR operations, from corporate offices to Nestle’s distribution centers,” Boris explained. By the end of the program, he’ll have a clear sense of which environment best fits his skills, interests and long-term career goals. 

Boris’s journey to Nestlé began when the Honors College Career Services “helped me see how my communication degree and my people skills could translate into HR,” he said. “That’s where everything clicked for me.” Boris earned a degree in public relations, advertising and applied communications from the College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts and minors in business administration and project management from FIU Business.

The leadership program of which Boris is now a part followed upon his participation, as a student, in a symposium offered by the company. Selection into the program represents a rare opportunity to join a Global 500 company, the forty-eighth largest in the world.

Boris credits the mentorship, unique coursework and peer network of the Honors College for pushing him outside of his comfort zone and giving him both the professional skills and personal growth needed to excel. And he points to the broader FIU community and the experiences it offered as foundational to his standing out as an ideal job candidate.

His leadership roles on campus include serving as president of Alpha Kappa Psi fraternity and the FIU student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, which gave him practical skills in organizing, motivating and guiding peers. Boris also served on the Student Government Association as a new member educator and vice president of professional development, fostering collaboration across student organizations and Greek life on the Biscayne Bay Campus. HR internships across industries, including consumer goods, supply chain, tech and aerospace, complemented his classroom learning with real-world experience. 

Nestlé’s rigorous selection process had Boris calling on all of those past opportunities as he faced three rounds of interviews. 

The first round focused on behavioral questions, where Boris was asked to reflect on past experiences and his skills in leadership, teamwork and problem solving. “They wanted to know how I handled challenges, motivated others, and adapted when plans didn’t go as expected,” he said. 

The second round consisted of case study exercises. Boris and other candidates were given a real-world HR scenario and asked to analyze the situation, develop recommendations and present solutions to a panel of Nestlé managers. “That part really tested our ability to think on our feet and communicate clearly,” Boris explained. “I leaned heavily on the experiences I had leading student organizations...being able to speak confidently about strategy and people management made all the difference.” 

The final round was a mix of panel interviews with senior HR leaders. These conversations drilled deeper into his leadership style, long-term career goals, and how he would fit into Nestlé’s culture. “One of the first things they asked about was my leadership experience on campus,” Boris recalled. “Being part of Alpha Kappa Psi and student government really set me up for success and made me stand out. Having specific stories ready to share, like when I had to manage conflict or rally my peers around a project, made my answers real and relatable.” 

For current FIU students aiming to follow a similar path, Boris offers simple but powerful advice: “Don’t let imposter syndrome hold you back. Be yourself and be fully authentic when connecting with professors or future employers, and don’t be afraid to go after opportunities.”