CHRISTIAN ROBERTS
THOMAS JEANSONNE
TOUCHDOWN: MILLSAPS SETS STUDENT-ATHLETES UP FOR SUCCESS by Chris Lawrence It’s an exciting development when a student lands a profitable and fulfilling job upon graduation. Call it a bonus when that job matches up with the type of degree earned through years of hard work. But call it sold when that same job allows them to work alongside former teammates and classmates they trust! This is exactly what 2021 Millsaps graduates and Major football teammates Christian Roberts, Thomas Jeansonne and Austin Russell are doing now at Jackson-area real estate solutions and investment firm Atlas Property Investors. Roberts serves the firm as a lead manager, while Jeansonne and Russell work as acquisitions specialists. They are also joined by current interns and former teammates Amryn Jeffrey, Peyton Leingang and Conner Rucker as well as current Major baseball standout Mark Petkovsek Jr. All of the Majors either majored or minored in business administration, with several focusing on finance and entrepreneurship. The group was initially introduced to the opportunity by Millsaps alumnus and former Major football player Beau Brady ’14. The teammates started working together soon after graduation and credit Millsaps with preparing them for life after college.
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MILLSAPS MAGAZINE SPRING 2022
AUSTIN RUSSELL
“At Millsaps I learned how to identify problems and solve them,” Roberts explained, something he has to do on a daily basis at his job. “Hiring people, establishing a brand and creating a training guide are recent tasks that Millsaps helped prepare me to do.” Jeansonne credits Millsaps for giving him the skills to be a better salesman. “The business courses prepared me through public speaking, presenting, PowerPoints and writing essays,” Jeansonne said. “They made me a better overall student and more intelligent person.” Personal growth is also tied to the company’s mantra of getting 1% better every day, and this mindset ties remarkably well to the friends’ days as teammates on the gridiron. “It’s actually kind of crazy because on the football field it was the same goal, get 1% better every day,” added Roberts. “When you’re working with people you’ve known your whole life … you just pick up right where you left off.” When asked what advice he’d give to the up-and-coming Majors, Russell said, “Enjoy the time. If you truly have no idea about where life will take you after college, trust in the relationships you have built with classmates, teachers and other student body members throughout the years.” “I think our experiences speak to the power of a Millsaps education and are in keeping with the saying ‘Across the street and around the globe,’” added Jeansonne. “A connection I made to come play football at Millsaps may end being one of the best decisions I make in my life.”
