It’s four a.m. A cold Wednesday morning. There’s nothing Jordan wants to do more than sleep in late.
Jordan Kujawski ’25 (business & entrepreneurship) has just finished the closing shift at Taco Bell, where he works part-time while attending Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship. He is among the first cohort of students to enroll in the new business school, which opened in 2023.
The “aha!” moment
“I was exhausted. I’m like, ‘You gotta show up,’” he recalled about that day.
Deciding to power through, Jordan got a few hours of sleep before heading to the campus center in Rochester, New York, to hear a talk by Greg Stahl, co-owner of Bob Johnson Auto Group. Stahl was invited to present as part of the institute’s weekly series, Speaking from Experience. Every Wednesday, students have the opportunity to hear insights from and network with prominent business leaders and innovators.
Jordan Kujawski ’25 (business & entrepreneurship) in the audience during Speaking from Experience
Stahl lit something in Jordan. “I loved it,” he said. “I have two pages of notes. I still read them here and there.”
After the presentation, Jordan resolved to introduce himself to Stahl. That choice was pivotal: Stahl connected Jordan to a part-time job at Bob Johnson Buick GMC in Greece, New York. The role as a “lot kid” evolved alongside what he learned at Golisano Institute—by the time he graduated from the program, he had been hired as a full-time sales consultant at the dealership.
Jordan working on a group project in class at Golisano Institute
From top receiver to top closer
Last January, Jordan sold his hundredth car, a major milestone in auto sales, especially for someone at the outset of a career. Go back only a few years and that accomplishment is a far cry from how Jordan expected his life to go.
As graduation day at Rush-Henrietta High School neared, Jordan was working 35 hours a week as a shift manager at Taco Bell. A talented football and baseball player, he had decided to abandon hopes for a career as a professional athlete. A traditional four-year college also seemed like the wrong path, not least because of the high cost.
“I knew if I went to college, there’d be a lot of distractions,” he said.
Then his high-school counselor gave him a brochure from Golisano Institute. He looked at the course grid and suddenly saw a path that felt right; he applied that same day.
Walking the talk
Jordan remembers being nervous and introverted before beginning the two-year Professional Certificate in Business & Entrepreneurship. Yet, halfway into the program, he already felt much more comfortable and confident around others. He credits the program’s uniquely interactive, face-to-face approach to learning. He also points to the explicit focus on sales in the curriculum, a critical area of business not often taught in traditional business degrees.
In August 205, Jordan was hired by Bob Johnson Auto Group as a sales consultant.
“I would go to work [at Bob Johnson Buick GMC] right after classes and I’m fired up,” he explained. “I’m ready to go. I’m ready to talk to people.”
Jordan came to Golisano Institute thinking he would launch a business. Instead, he found a passion for sales during the three internship experiences that are integrated into the business & entrepreneurship program.
“I think in the sales classes, all the philosophies, all the different scripts and role plays we did got me way more comfortable to sell in the real world,” he said.
An internship at Bob Johnson Auto Group that Jordan completed while a student became a new career in auto sales.
Students fulfill the internship requirement by working with the institute’s career-development team to find experiences that match their goals and interests. While many choose to try out different businesses or even incubate a startup, Jordan homed in on Bob Johnson Auto Group to fully explore different roles and functions in car sales. The continuity meant he was able to move up to his current position as a sales consultant within a year and a half.
During the eighth and final quarter, students spend 40 hours a week in the career experience they select. “Every single class I took during that quarter I could apply to my job,” he said.
In August 2025, Jordan was among the first class to graduate from Golisano Institute.
Worth the gamble
“Our curriculum often pushes students outside their comfort zone,” said Dylan Burrows, a faculty member who teaches business math. “I saw Jordan not only thrive in the coursework but enjoy the challenge. His willingness to press on with a calm and consistent demeanor will help him go far in his career.”
Jordan sold his 100th car in January 2026, just five months into his new job.
Jordan admits taking a gamble when he chose to enroll in Golisano Institute, a completely new model for business education that had yet to be tested in the real world.
“I took a chance as an early investor,” he said about the decision. “And, you know, it definitely paid off.”