Jean Dala is all about giving back and paying it forward. So, when the opportunity arose for the University of Houston alumnus to return to his alma mater to participate in his company’s volunteer service project, he immediately signed up.
“This is the school that provided me the job I have today,” said Dala, a 2017 graduate of the C.T. Bauer College of Business who works as an IT auditor at Calpine Corporation, a Houston-based power company. “This would have never been possible without UH.”
Dala was among a group of Calpine employees, including three UHalumni, that jumped at the chance to beautify the entrance and surrounding area of Service Building 1– home of University Career Services. Calpine volunteers recently trimmed the hedges, planted new vegetation, dug up weeds and cleaned debris. The Calpine in Our Communities project was second nature for Dala, who ran his own pool and lawn service company to pay his way through college.
“We hope people who walk by this building will stop and notice its curb appeal and be curious enough to see what’s inside,” explained Dala who attended a UCS-sponsored career fair when he was a student. “Our intent is to make sure more people are aware of what this building can provide for students.”