Finding a job after commencement is on the minds of college seniors across the country.

But for Keuka College senior and management major Chris Yurko, a job found him seven months before he will don a cap and gown.

“For my sophomore year Field Period, I worked at AXA Advisors in Vestal in the marketing and advertising department,” said Yurko, an Endicott resident. “In my junior year, I returned to AXA for another Field Period, expanded my duties, and started attending meetings, looking at accounts, and preparing financial data. I was responsible for completing all of the prep needed for my supervisor to advise the client.”

AXA Advisors is a broker-dealer and investment firm for AXA Equitable, a member of the global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA Advisors serve more than 3 million individual and business clients with personal financial planning, retirement planninge ducation funding, and  business services.

Because of the experience Yurko received at his Field Period, the branch manager asked Yurko to come for an interview, and offered him a position with the company.

“I know the products and the funds AXA offers, and I have experience at the company already,” said Yurko.

But before his first day of work, Yurko needs to take the Series 7 and Series 66 tests, which he plans to take by mid-April.

The Series 7 exam will provide Yurko with the qualifications necessary to make different kinds of trades with corporate securities, excluding commodities and futures. The Series 66 exam covers registration and licensing for agents, securities registration, business practices, and securities evaluation rules and regulations

Yurko conducted his senior year Field Period with Jeff Bray, head athletic trainer and assistant director of athletics.

“I worked on event planning for the winter sports teams, including organizing the Bravest vs. Finest, a charity basketball game,” said Yurko.

The game pitted members of the Penn Yan Police Department, New York State Police and Yates County Sheriff's Office (Finest), against the Branchport/Keuka Park Fire Department, Penn Yan EMS and Penn Yan Fire Department (Bravest). All proceeds from the event went to Keuka Comfort Care Home, a local hospice facility.

But it wasn’t just adults who got to test their competitive skills. Yurko invited members of the Penn Yan Boy and Girl Scouts and youngsters from Watkins Glen to attend a women’s/men’s basketball doubleheader game. At halftime of the men’s game, they took part in a tricycle relay race.

“The kids put on an apron and hat from a local pizzeria, got on the bike with a pizza box, raced each other to the end of the court, switched partners, and raced back,” said Yurko. “The winning team earned a prize package.”

Yurko also organized the Pink Zone, a sports-related campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer.