Alumni Spotlight: RGRLL Alumni Nicholas Perovich 

Alumni Spotlight

RGRLL Alumni Nicholas Perovich 

Nicholas Perovich graduated from CSULB in 2011 with a double major in International Business and French and Francophone Studies. Within his French major, he received the Distinguished French Undergraduate Award and graduated with the second highest GPA within the French Romance, German, Russian Languages and Literatures (RGRLL) department for that year’s graduating class. Perovich’s academic and career journey reflects how a Liberal Arts education diversifies a work portfolio and creates a well-rounded member of society.

Perovich currently works as a consultant for Guidehouse in New York. He manages projects for state and local governments, such as budget reassessments, business process improvement, grant management, and his team offer recommendations and implementation support based on his team’s findings. His current project is the enhancement of a training program for a large transit authority. A large part of his work includes interviewing clients and peer transit agencies and helping develop technical training content. NYC is remarkably diverse and Perovich believes his background in French helped him learn and appreciate communicating with diverse groups, particularly with those whose primary language is not English.

Before declaring his major in French, Perovich studied French in middle school and continued it through high school, which helped him learn the importance of language. At CLA, he joined some French conversational classes, having taken French in high school, but Dr. Ceia encouraged him to declare the subject as a major. In reflecting on his CLA experience, he described how “the French major was a lot more personal, the classes were smaller, and more discussion based. I felt a lot closer to my professor and classmates in CLA.” Perovich always knew he would be a business major and that he would pursue his MBA in business after that, but he says, “I thought French would add a more well-rounded profile for me as I entered the working world.” Dr. Ceia also encouraged Perovich to study abroad in Paris. Perovich says when he last visited campus he thanked Dr, Ceia, saying “her encouragement to study abroad and continue French as a discipline was an incredibly pivotal part of my career.”

While studying at CSULB, Perovich worked at the local Long Beach restaurant, Crème de la Crepe, becoming the Director of Restaurant Operations in his senior year. He continued to work at Crème de la Crepe for a few years after graduating, but Perovich was eventually ready for a change. Perovich decided to move to New York City saying, “New York affords a lot of opportunities to find whatever you are looking for.” Perovich worked for the City of New York for five years as an Operations Manager before becoming a consultant at Guidehouse. Perovich used his work experience from Crème de la Crepe, showing how skills like restaurant management and customer service can create a transferable skillset. He also states that language was an “indispensable skill.”

While still living on the east coast, Perovich recognizes how difficult it can be to stay connected to CSULB. However, he stays connected through the Beach newsletter and visits in person when he can. Perovich says, “It’s important to be part of the alumni network- you are a 49er for life, an alum forever.” Perovich encourages other alumni to reconnect with CLA, believing the experience does not end with graduation.