Becoming his best self: Binghamton Bearcat goalie embraced life’s challenges on road to MBA

After graduating from a high school with fewer than 100 students in Albany County, N.Y., Lynn “PJ” Parker ’22, MBA ’23 knew he wanted something bigger.

“I wanted to attend a large university with a good soccer program, and Binghamton had a great reputation as a top SUNY school,” Parker says. “Plus, Binghamton was in that ‘sweet spot,’ far enough away so I felt like I was somewhere new, but close enough that I could be home in two hours.”

So, in 2018, Parker became the NCAA Division I Bearcats’ newest goalie recruit. Because he had yet to declare his major, he planned to complete his general education courses and “redshirt” his first year as he acclimated to college life and athletics.

By the end of his first semester, however, Parker had a better sense of what direction he wanted to take with his major and transferred to the School of Management. He joined the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Scholars Program, which he credits with helping him develop both professionally and personally through its strong mentoring component.

But, just as things were taking shape for him academically, Parker experienced a devastating loss when his mother died.

“Getting through that was hard, but it also made me a better person,” Parker says. “Although I would trade anything to have my mom back, it really forced me to grow up and become a better man, and ironically, I’m thankful for that. But it’s strange not having your parent there, not only in hard times but to share in the good things that have happened. That’s when I miss my mom the most.”

Stepping into the game

In his second season as a Bearcat soccer player, Parker was NCAA-eligible, with playing time capped as he backed up one of the conference’s top-ranked goalies. “I wasn’t expecting a lot that year,” Parker says.

When the Bearcats’ starting goalie suffered an injury in a mid-season matchup at the University of New Hampshire, Parker was chosen to step in.

“Coach tells me I’m going in, and I was dumbfounded, thinking, ‘Wait…what?’” Parker recalls. “I think I kind of blacked out, but luckily, all that training and preparation takes over, and you just get into that ‘flow state’ and perform. And I finished the game without giving up any goals.”

After that, Parker’s athletic career picked up steam. He was named to the America East Men’s Soccer All-Rookie Team that year and earned a Defensive Player of the Week nod.

“That semester went exceptionally well,” he says. “That’s when I really fell in love with the game.”

Just as Parker was hitting his stride, a shoulder injury threatened to bring his college athletic career to a halt.

“I had surgery after that injury and an extensive rehab, and I thought, ‘I’m not coming back from this,’” Parker says. “For a goalie, shoulders are everything, and it was just really daunting having to fully extend my arms and block these shots that were coming in hard.”

For Parker, the mental recovery from that injury proved to be one of the biggest challenges he faced as an athlete at Binghamton.

‘Home away from home’

While overcoming obstacles on the field, Parker also succeeded in the classroom. This past May, he completed his MBA with a concentration in finance.

Thanks to his participation in the PwC Scholars program, he also had a job lined up for after graduation as a financial consultant for the cyber risk and regulatory arm of PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York City.

“I’ve been developing a close relationship with PwC for years now,” Parker says, “and it’s felt like home away from home to me. I am excited to extend that relationship to my first job.”

Looking back on his time as a Bearcat goalie and SOM student, Parker has nothing but fond memories of his experiences at Binghamton.

“There have been a lot of surprises, a lot of happy surprises and a lot of obstacles,” Parker says. “But those obstacles have made me a better and more well-rounded person, and I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything.”

Five lessons PJ Parker learned on and off the field

Lean into adversity: I found that was something practiced in soccer and academically. Working through adversity is how you grow. Success on the other side of a challenge is like a trophy, some- thing to show for your hard work. And when you look back, you can think, “That was hard, but I am happy I did it.”

You’ll be nostalgic for the moment you are in now: It’s easy to get caught up in day-to-day living; you think things are moving slowly while you’re in the middle of it all. But time is moving fast, so I try to savor and appreciate the moment I am in because I know that one day, I’ll look back and want to remember it.

View situations from different perspectives: There have been times when I wasn’t happy playing soccer or happy with the classes that I was taking, but training myself to see things from a new perspective has really helped me mature as both an athlete and a person. Sometimes that means just putting myself in someone else’s shoes for a moment.

Have a reason to get out of bed in the morning: Not every day is going to be the America East Conference final. But finding real enjoyment in some of the less extravagant moments has helped me appreciate everything a little more.

Have people that you care about: The most important lesson is to appreciate the relationships you have. I don’t take relationships for granted at all. I love my friends and family, and I make an effort so they know that. I make it my practice to pick up the phone and reach out regularly, and I’m lucky because they reach out to me, too.