When Reilly Kons ’17 first arrived at Thomas College, he wasn’t entirely sure where his career path would take him. Originally enrolling as a Sports Management major, it wasn’t long before he discovered a passion for marketing. “After taking a few marketing courses, I realized how much I enjoyed the creativity of the field,” he recalls. That spark of curiosity ultimately led him to change his major and graduate with a B.S. in Marketing Management as a proud Kiest-Morgan Scholar.
Finding Opportunity at Thomas
Throughout his time at Thomas, Reilly leaned into opportunities that pushed him to grow both professionally and personally. One of the most impactful resources he found was the Professional and Career Development Office. “They were always incredibly accessible,” he says. “I never needed an appointment—I could simply drop in to connect with the team and explore professional opportunities in the community.”
With their support, Reilly completed three internships while at Thomas, each one helping him build real-world experience and professional confidence.
A Career of Exploration
Since graduating, Reilly’s career has been defined by exploration and adaptability. He has held roles across B2B sales, software implementation, program development, event management, and nonprofit leadership—all with a common thread of empowering innovators and entrepreneurs.
“At Thomas, I learned how to experiment, adapt, and turn experiences into opportunities,” he says. “That spirit of exploration has become a defining pattern throughout my career so far.”
Now, as the Executive Director of the Brunswick Downtown Association, Reilly leads initiatives that strengthen his community while continuing to do meaningful work that excites and inspires him.
Work with Meaning
Looking back, Reilly is proud of one defining theme in his career: purpose. “What I am most proud of is that throughout most of my career, I have never felt like I was working just for money,” he shares. “My income has felt like a byproduct of doing meaningful and interesting work with inspiring people. That is what makes waking up each day exciting.”
A Promising Future Realized
Reilly credits Thomas College with giving him the environment he needed to discover his strengths and chart his path. “When I first arrived, I didn’t have a clear sense of what I wanted to do after college,” he reflects. “My time there gave me the space to grow, experiment, and truly ‘incubate’ as both a young adult and a lifelong learner.”
By the time he graduated, Reilly says he had gained not only valuable professional experience but also the confidence to take on new challenges—and the lifelong friendships that continue to enrich his journey today.