Throughout my freshman year, having mentors has proved to be one of the most important things. To me, mentors are someone who can tell me what professors are the best, but also someone who will tell me what they’re wearing to an event. They will tell you which classes are easiest and where to get the cheapest lunch any weekday. They use their experience as a resource for you. My PRSSA mentor, Sam Spinale, has been nothing short of this person.
I first chatted with Sam during a “Coffee with an Exec” meeting. We sat in a loud, crowded Starbucks for a conversation that I believe was only supposed to last thirty minutes (it didn’t). We found that our high school experiences were scarily similar. She told me all about how she got to Ohio University and everything that she does here. I told her about my interests and plans. We went on for the longest time. One of the things I remember most from that day was how good it made me feel to have someone I look up to validate the things that I was doing. I was trying my best, and Sam recognized and applauded that.
The night of the peer mentor/mentee reveal, I was trying not to get my hopes up, but I knew I wanted to be assigned to Sam. We had a lot of the same academic interests, but I really wanted her for her encouragement and reliability. I was so excited when we got placed together. We’ve since proved to be a great match.
Since then, Sam has been a wonderful guide as I navigate my freshman year. When I have a career crisis, she’s the most helpful advisor. When I want to get dinner with a side of counseling, she’s only a text away. I’ve never once worried about who I am going to sit with or talk to at a PRSSA event. She’s always there. I am so thankful for the PRSSA mentor/mentee program’s impact on my first year of college. Everyone deserves a mentor to guide them through this new world. For me, this program gave me the best guide.
Kenzie Zumbro is a freshman studying marketing in the Ohio University College of Business and pursuing an advertising and public relations minor. She is a member of the Scripps PRSSA Special Events Committee. You can connect with Kenzie on LinkedIn here.