When Anthony Pelesasa applied for the Port of Long Beach’s internship program in 2017, he did not expect to spend two years working for the port’s public relations office. As a senior at California State University, (CSU) Fullerton, Pelesasa applied with the expectation of a standard, three-month internship, but ended up staying with the port as a paid intern for two years. Once accepted, he quit his part-time job, and, after graduation, he dedicated himself fully to his work with the port. In the end, it was all worth it, Pelesasa noted. This year, at the end of his internship, he was hired to join the port full-time as a communications specialist. “From not knowing what I wanted to do in high school, to being in this position at such a young age, it’s really awesome,” 23-year-old Pelesasa said. His position as an intern at the port helped ease the transition from college to professional life, he explained. One of his favorite projects so far: the launch event for the Maritime Center of Excellence at Long Beach City College (LBCC). “That was the first event that related to me on a special level,” Pelesasa, who transferred to CSU Fullerton from LBCC, said. Looking back at the first steps in his communications career, he said he wants others to know that there’s a pathway for following their passion, even if it may seem daunting at first. “I just want people to know that it’s possible,” he said.