Pretty much everyone these days uses Google – on the internet, it’s pretty much the go-to for finding anything on the web. But here’s something you probably didn’t know: one of our very own, a Delta Zeta Brother, now works at Google!
Having joined Chi Phi back in the Fall of 2007, Brother Tony Dieppa ultimately graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. From there, this amazing young man went on to graduate school at the University of Florida, where he graduated in 2013 with a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship.
When he first graduated, Brother Dieppa originally thought he would get into computer security research, but quickly found himself disillusioned with academia shortly after starting his Masters studies. “One day,” he says, “I just decided I needed a change, and left for Japan for six months to do a bit of soul-searching. After returning, I wanted to start my own venture and proceeded to do so while I worked on my MS in Entrepreneurship.” While ultimately starting his own company is still Brother Dieppa’s goal, he decided that his dream job before launching off on his own would be to join Google or Facebook and really grow in his abilities.
After graduating, he joined Syniverse Technologies and worked on a Wi-Fi calling product that he had the opportunity to test while he was abroad in Japan, and later again in Ireland. Shortly thereafter, he started working on his own venture, Eatable, and jointed a start-up out of Miami called New Frontier Nomads. Within that team, he launched “NFL Now” to millions of users nationwide.
Brother Dieppa’s success in getting hired on with Google was a matter of knowing the right people. “Initially,” he states, I was looking for a way to go out west and find a team I could join to really grow my skills. After talking with some friends, I discovered that I had contacts in Google who could refer me. After that, the rest is history!” He applied for the position because he wanted something that was more than “just another job.” He was looking specifically for a team of people who could challenge him, an environment where he could grow and a destination where he could meet the right people to move his plans forward. “Joining Google,” Dieppa says, “brings me several steps closer to my ultimate goal!”
When he was offered the job, he was ecstatic. It was a long series of challenging interviews, but for Brother Dieppa, it felt amazing to know that he was ultimately deemed to be Google material. Now that he’s on board, he plans to continue growing his skills with Google for the next few years, to proper him for the final phase of his plans. Areas he is hoping to grow are not only his technical skills, but also his leadership abilities.
Brother Dieppa is definitely a shining example of Chi Phi success, and he provides an inspiration to our Active Chapter’s members as to what one can achieve with the drive and determination that a true Chi Phi possesses.