YSU student employee turns campus pride into passion through admissions work

Student Spotlight

Youngstown State University's admissions office is where all students’ journeys start, and working hard to keep it running is Reagan Seidel, a senior studying human resource management.

Taking prospective and incoming students on campus tours is one of Seidel’s primary responsibilities in the YSU admissions office. By leading visitors across campus, she provides them a firsthand look at what the university has to offer.

“One of my main jobs is taking incoming and potential students on campus tours. I lead them around the entire campus,” Seidel said. “It takes about an hour, showing them all the different buildings related to their major.”

Seidel mentioned two staff members that stood out in the way they have been supportive in her work as a student employee, Kimberlee Avery and Sharyn Zembower.

“Kim Avery was helpful. I was originally not supposed to attend YSU, I was attending the University of Cincinnati. She got me transferred very quickly,” she said. “Sharyn Zembower has supported me in admissions. She kind of hypes me up when she sees me giving a tour and in orientation leading. She has helped me a lot.”

Seidel’s experience has been supported by a team that understands the demands of balancing employment with college life. From helping her balance life and work to accommodating her academic commitments, staff members have played an important role in her experience as a student employee.

“They work really well with our schedules. So, if a meeting pops up our boss understands that level of trying to balance work, your life and then also academics and social clubs,” she said. “If there’s ever something I’m having trouble with, or I have a last minute appointment or schedule change, I’m able to just email her and she’s very understanding.”

Working in admissions has given Seidel the opportunity to meet a variety of students, whose interest in YSU is often the only thing they have in common. She finds navigating the differences of each student to be a unique aspect of her work.

“Every student is a little bit different. You may have someone that’s really outgoing, you may have someone that’s a little bit more reserved and quiet, and just being able to focus on their individual traits and what they’re interested in is a really special part of the job,” she said.

Seidel does more than learn the differences between each student, however. She also must learn how to manage the various personalities she encounters, a skill she believes will benefit her in a future career in human resource management.

“I feel like interaction with different personalities is something I’ve really learned how to manage. Especially with going into human resources, that’s something that will be important in my job, she said. “Understanding how people learn, how they understand what knowledge they’re taking in and how the best way to interact with them is something I’ve learned a lot about in this role.”

A big part of Seidel’s job is bringing the spirit of YSU to tour groups, and she believes her experiences have strengthened her connection to the university. She makes school spirit a priority on her tours, sharing her enthusiasm with prospective students.

“My job is literally to promote the university to potential students, and sometimes that can make or break a student deciding on YSU. So, having that school spirit and bringing the influence of YSU to other students and showing them what the community is like has shown me the spirit that YSU really has,” she said.

Working on campus has also allowed Seidel to become more involved with student organizations while balancing her academic responsibilities. With her work and classes finished by midafternoon, she has more time to focus on her coursework and extracurricular activities.

“Working on campus has honestly made the college experience a lot better. I’ve been able to dedicate a lot more time to my organizations,” she said. “I’m a crowd member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, and I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with that because of working on campus. I'm done with work and class by 3:15 every day, and that has really given me the time to get homework done and dedicate all of my time to my student organizations.”

Seidel’s work in admissions has given her the social skills she will need to further career. Her leadership skills have gotten stronger, and she has opened up more to conversation.

“I’ve become a lot more open to conversations and communicating with people through working somewhere where I literally have to keep a conversation going all the time. I feel like I’m a better leader. I’m more empathetic as a person,” she said.

For any incoming students interested in admissions, Seidel suggests, “Put yourself out there, apply yourself, really show your personality. You can really connect with people on all levels and scales, but just be yourself and go for it if you want it. Apply and be true to who you are.”

After graduation, Seidel hopes to go into human resources management. She hopes to take the skills she has gained through her student employment into her career. By being a student employee through YSU, she has connected to her university while also growing into a person ready for the life ahead of them.

“I think working on campus is one of the best opportunities students can take.”