| Janel Finch
’06, BSBA, Marketing
Youngstown, OH
How I got to YSU.
I was a military child for the first 17 years of my life.
I was born in Florida. We were stationed there for eight years,
the longest I’ve ever lived in one place, although I
wouldn’t quite call it home. From there we moved to
Illinois, here to the Valley for a year, Hawaii, New Mexico,
and we returned to Youngstown my senior year of high school.
I graduated from The Rayen School in 2002. I had my heart
set on going to a historically black institution, but my parents
encouraged me to apply to a few other campuses, including
Youngstown State University. Things didn’t work out
financially, but I’m a firm believer in things happening
according to God’s plan, and I found that YSU offered
me both the affordability and the quality I was looking for.
What surprised you most about YSU?
I was surprised by the broad range of choices I had here.
I’ve found many activities to get involved in, lots
to do, and a challenging academic experience. My mom always
said, “Bloom where you’re planted,” and
I have, and YSU has been a great place to grow.
How has YSU changed you?
Our family has moved often, since my dad’s in the military.
So I’ve been exposed to many kinds of people and situations.
But professors here have challenged me to continue to be open-minded,
to continue to grow. This past semester, we went to London
for an internationl business-study tour, and I was surprised
at how different even England was from America. It helped
me develop a more global perspective, and I hope to expand
that further as I continue my education.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishments at
YSU?
I was honored to be voted Homecoming Queen last fall—that
was a highlight. And our YSU advertising team placed fourth
out of 11 schools in an integrated marketing competition sponsored
by the American Advertsing Federation. We prepared an entire
marketing campaign for a firm in Texas, then presented our
plan at the regional competition.
What advice do you have for incoming high school graduates?
Don’t be afraid to try new things, but stay focused
on your priorities. In other words, prioritize your fun in
college. It’s easy to get sidetracked.
What about the future?
I plan to attend YSU in the fall through the MBA program.
Further down the road. I plan to move again (it’s in
my blood!) to pursue my career in marketing.
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