Jack Karakashian

This summer, I joined Khanjur Research & Development, a nimble startup founded by Sabrina Curtis—a trailblazing engineer and expert in Shape Memory Alloys. Khanjur focuses on cutting-edge applications of these materials in actuators, semiconductors, and sputtering technologies. As a small team tackling complex, high-stakes projects, the company embodies adaptability, innovation, and deep technical curiosity—making it the perfect environment to explore the business side of advanced materials.

My role spanned strategy, pricing, and operations. I led the development of a comprehensive pricing system for an $800,000 proposal submitted to the Department of Defense, incorporating direct and indirect costs, sensitivity analyses, and breakeven modeling that supported a potential capital investment in new manufacturing machinery.

Beyond financial modeling, I took charge of supplier outreach and vendor due diligence, compiling a side-by-side comparison of 10 companies based on pricing, capabilities, and inspection standards to inform sourcing decisions. I also delivered five strategic briefing reports to company leadership, offering actionable recommendations on market positioning, customer segmentation, and industry trends.

This internship didn’t just deepen my technical and analytical skills—it taught me how to operate within the fast-moving, often ambiguous world of a startup, where business decisions are intertwined with specialized, technical products. I learned to simplify complexity, move quickly, and think holistically about growth.

As Vice President of Chapter Operations for Delta Sigma Pi, I serve as the logistical and strategic backbone of our chapter—ensuring national reporting compliance, managing internal communications, and driving continuous improvement through the Chapter Management Program (CMP).

To modernize our operations and reinforce the fraternity’s core pillars, I helped design and launch a point bucket system. This initiative encouraged members to stay balanced across areas like DEI, Health & Wellness, and Fundraising.

To make the system seamless, I engineered a fully automated point-tracking solution in Excel using VBA and advanced formulas. Members could view real-time audits of their points across each bucket—a first for the chapter.

Taking it a step further, I built a custom mobile app using React Native, TypeScript, and Expo, hosted on GitHub. The app centralizes our operations by syncing event forms directly to Google Calendar via API, logging attendance codes to a Supabase backend in real time, delivering event analytics for officers and admins, and providing easy access to our newsletter, point audit system, and test bank.

This project has not only streamlined internal processes but also helped redefine what accountability and engagement look like in a professional fraternity.

As a lifelong fan of the Washington Capitals, joining the Caps Crew was more than just an internship—it was a full-circle moment. Every home game, I got to help shape the experience for 20,000+ fans, blending showmanship, logistics, and brand engagement into a seamless, electric atmosphere.

Working in Game Presentation, our department owned everything on the Jumbotron outside of actual gameplay. That meant running live promotions for major sponsors—on the concourse, in the stands, and even on the ice; designing skits, setting props, and managing backdrops to enhance sponsor activations and time-out entertainment; and dressing in costume, waving flags, and performing on cue to build energy and keep fans immersed in the experience.

Over the season, I executed 10+ in-game promotions per night, trained and selected 50+ participants for high-visibility contests, and ensured 100% error-free delivery of each activation. I also used real-time crowd analytics to help adapt our approach on the fly—maximizing fan participation and boosting engagement by over 20% per game.

Beyond the logistics, this role allowed me to give back to the next generation of fans—helping create unforgettable moments for families, kids, and first-time hockey lovers across the DMV. The Caps gave me memories as a fan; the Caps Crew let me return the favor.

I founded and built the University of Maryland's Club Roller Hockey team from scratch, forming a 30+ member roster and introducing two tiers of participation for flexibility and affordability. I served as captain, play designer, and team strategist.

Off the rink, I managed finances, secured $2K+ in sponsorships, organized logistics for travel and gear, and ran marketing campaigns to build visibility on campus.

This initiative built a competitive and community-driven team and helped expand NCRHA’s presence in the region.

Since my freshman year, I've worked at the University of Maryland's Recreation and Wellness (RecWell) Center—first as a weight floor attendant, and now as a Weight and Fitness Supervisor. The job is often described as the "lifeguards of the weight room," but in reality, it's much more than that.

Our team is responsible for enforcing safety, policy, and cleanliness standards, all while promoting RecWell's mission: "Inspiring Terps to Be Active and Live Well." We do this not only through presence and enforcement but by being role models and ambassadors of wellness on campus—guiding patrons, supporting events, and fostering a space where fitness feels inclusive and empowering.

In my current role, I direct a 10-person team, streamlining practices and cutting average medical response time by 25%. I led evaluations for 25+ staff, boosting satisfaction scores by 15% and reducing escalated incidents by 15%. I redesigned our organization system, optimizing space and ensuring full compliance with gym safety protocols.

But one of my proudest contributions came from a self-initiated, consultant-style research project: Should Weight Room staff be allowed to work out while on shift? Staff morale had been declining, and some believed that structured, low-risk workout periods could improve engagement and retention. To explore the idea, I developed a full 20+ page internal white paper featuring time study & operational feasibility, risk & response time tracking, surveys & staff motivation, patron perception & brand alignment, and implementation plan with guardrails.

This job has shaped my time at Maryland. I've met close friends, grown as a leader, and helped evolve the student fitness experience to be more thoughtful, inclusive, and strategic.

During my internship with GRF CPAs & Advisors, I gained my first exposure to the professional world—joining a team that specializes in audits for nonprofit organizations. GRF plays a vital role in ensuring financial transparency and accountability for mission-driven institutions, from environmental nonprofits like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to educational and community development groups across the country.

As an intern, I participated in seminars and workshops that covered audit procedures, nonprofit accounting principles, and the evolving role of CPAs in a post-COVID workplace. I learned how nonprofits differ from for-profit companies—not just in mission and funding, but in how their financials are reported and regulated. I explored this difference further in a research paper on nonprofit vs. for-profit accounting, examining how documents like the statement of activity or Form 990 communicate responsibility to donors rather than shareholders.

Hands-on, I was able to analyze cash disbursements, receipts, payroll records, and credit card transactions across multiple quarters; gain experience using Citrix to help my mentor organize and store audit documents within compliance systems; and observe and absorb how professional relationships and workflows operate in a hybrid, post-COVID office environment.

What made this experience meaningful wasn't just the technical learning—but also the window into the human side of accounting. I saw how teams collaborate under tight deadlines, how mentorship is built through shared tasks and informal conversation, and how financial accuracy directly supports public trust in community organizations.

This internship solidified my interest in business operations and data integrity—giving me the foundation I needed for future work at the intersection of finance, strategy, and service.

Led food service operations for the club’s poolside snack bar, managing inventory, mentoring teen staff, and ensuring five-star member experiences under pressure.

Introduced a creative menu item—the “Minion Slushie”—which drove a 7x increase in slushie sales and boosted team morale and customer satisfaction.

Created a self-evaluation tool for staff to improve performance and confidence without micromanagement.

Before college projects, leadership positions, or founding a sports team, I learned what it truly meant to work hard at Smokey Glen Farm—a beloved, family-run institution that's been delivering unforgettable corporate events and classic BBQ in the D.C. area for over 70 years. It's where my dad worked when he was my age, and it's where I started my own professional journey at just 15.

By 16, I was promoted to Event Coordination Supervisor, trusted to lead a staff of up to 20 and oversee events that hosted anywhere from 20 to 3,000 guests. I was responsible for managing the buffet line, ensuring food was stocked, safe, and ready, which—looking back—was my first taste of inventory management and operational efficiency. It was more than just food; it was about flow, timing, and quality.

This role taught me logistics the hard way. I set up and locked up events, optimized staffing across teams, adapted plans on the fly during Maryland heatwaves and torrential storms, and worked until 2AM power-washing chicken grease from giant charcoal grates. It wasn't glamorous—but it was real.

I didn't just work in operations—I began to think in systems. Smokey Glen's deep-rooted traditions sparked my curiosity about how legacy businesses can evolve through innovation. Could processes be automated? Could inventory be digitized? Could staffing schedules be optimized with data? These early questions would later become guiding themes in my business and technology education.

The job pushed me physically and mentally, and in 2021, I was honored as General Employee of the Year. But the biggest reward was realizing that even in a job rooted in BBQ and backyard games, you can learn some of the most fundamental principles of leadership, resilience, and operational excellence.