“Listen to your counselors,” suggests Daniel DeFloria as he discusses his career and the natural draw toward doing what you love. “I didn’t in 1964 when the results of my vocational aptitude tests revealed that I scored highest in sociology.” He chose to study Business Management instead.
Though a successful salesman, Daniel felt as though he wasn’t getting the most out of his job, leading him to switch career paths: a Counselor II at SCI Pittsburgh and Community Corrections Counselor in Harrisburg with the Department of Corrections where he would spend 24 years before retiring. “Helping those in a crisis situation is my calling,” he says. Even still, after all of this time, sociology chimed in his head, pushing him to accept a job working for the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg where he helps homeless or unemployed veterans find jobs through their enrollment in seminar programs.
“I have no regrets concerning my choice of study at Gannon,” Daniel explains. “To be successful at my current job, it requires an unusual merging of experience and training.” That training, he mentions, was learned during his time at Gannon – both in class and in ROTC – as well as during his four years spent in the U.S. Army Reserves.
When he isn’t working with the YWCA, Daniel is out gathering collectibles to sell for his small business, “Collectibles by DeFloria,” and further helping veterans by working for the nonprofit organization he established, “Veterans Outreach Center, Inc.”
(Published prior to 2009. Revised June 2014.)