▁as ▁a ▁ge ology ▁major , ▁but ▁ended ▁up ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁with ▁his ▁B . A . ▁in ▁film ▁theory ▁and ▁technology . ▁ ▁He ▁spent ▁a ▁sem ester ▁as ▁an ▁exchange ▁student ▁at ▁New ▁York ▁University ' s ▁T isch ▁School ▁of ▁the ▁Arts . ▁ ▁Hel ms ▁is ▁the ▁recip ient ▁of ▁an ▁honor ary ▁Doctor ▁of ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁from ▁Kno x ▁College , ▁where ▁he ▁delivered ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁Com men cement ▁Address . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Hel ms ▁gave ▁the ▁conv ocation ▁speech ▁at ▁Corn ell ▁University , ▁al ma ▁mater ▁of ▁Andy ▁Bernard , ▁the ▁character ▁he ▁port rayed ▁for ▁seven ▁seasons ▁on ▁The ▁Office . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Hel ms ▁gave ▁the ▁v aled ict ory ▁speech ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Virginia . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁married ▁and ▁has ▁a ▁child . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Early ▁work ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁Ober lin , ▁Hel ms ▁began ▁his ▁comedy ▁and ▁acting ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁writer ▁and ▁perform er ▁with ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁sketch ▁comedy ▁bands , ▁and ▁studied ▁impro vis ation ▁with ▁the ▁U pr ight ▁Cit iz ens ▁Brigade ▁tr oupe . ▁Hel ms ▁concurrent ly ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁tra ine e ▁film ▁editor ▁at ▁C rew ▁C uts , ▁a ▁post - production ▁facility ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁While ▁doing ▁so , ▁he ▁recorded ▁some ▁rough ▁voice over ▁scratch ▁tracks ▁that ▁eventually ▁led