Name: Elise Petronzio
Hometown: Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Major: Psychology
Minor: (if any) Spanish, Health & Society
Year: Sophomore
Campus Involvement: To Write Love On Her Arms Public Relations Chair, Rutgers University SAS Honors Program, Rutgers Performing Dance Company, RU SASHP (School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program) Peer Mentor, SASHP Peer Mentor Programming Board Member, Leadership Ambassador for Leadership and Experiential Learning, Rutgers Craft to Cure, Her Campus Treasurer, Writer and Photographer
Favorite thing about Rutgers: I love the opportunities Rutgers has to offer. Everything about Rutgers comes in heavy numbers, whether it’s students, research opportunities, friends, or student organizations. There is always an abundance of stuff to do, people to meet, and experiences to take part in. You can only be bored at Rutgers if you let yourself be bored.
You dabble in a lot of different things! How do you find the time to manage schoolwork, extracurriculars, and social activities?
My first semester, I wasn’t involved in any extracurriculars and rarely did social things, and it was miserable. Schoolwork always comes first for me, but I try to schedule things in advance so I have time for social activities too! (Shoutout to my Tuesday night Game Night friends) I usually try to avoid night classes so I can always get to my extracurriculars, which usually meet at night. I’ve found if I really focus on my schoolwork, there’s always time to have fun after.
Out of all your activities, which one has shaped you the most?
Without a doubt, the Department of Leadership and Experiential Learning has shaped me the most since I arrived on campus last year. Through their leadership development programs, my time as a Camp UKnight Leader, and my current role as a Leadership Ambassador, I have learned so much. They teach you to value yourself, which I now realize is the basis of most success. The directors over there believed in me before I was even sure of my capabilities, and for that I am forever grateful. They have given me confidence, resources, and so much more. EVERYONE should do something with that office before they graduate.
Who or what do you find inspiring?
Anyone who works with Leadership and Experiential Learning, from the directors, to the interns, to my fellow Leadership Ambassadors, inspire me. They all accomplish so much and are always pushing themselves to do more. I definitely love being in an environment like that and it pushes me to do more as well.
If a Freshman is looking for some advice about how to get more involved, how would you advise them?
Don’t be afraid to try things that sound appealing to you. And don’t be afraid to keep trying new things, even if you have some negative experiences. Go to the involvement fair at the start of each semester! And if there’s a freshman (or really a student of any year) reading this who sounds interested in any of the things I’m involved in, they’re totally free to message me!
What are you looking forward to most this year?
I really am just looking forward to all potential opportunities. I can’t wait to start a new semester of classes, meet new people, and getting to hangout with my friends more. I’m also really hoping to get into internships or a research lab for the summer, so hopefully I can look forward to some good news in the spring!
In ten years, where do you see yourself?
This is a really tough question because I’m really not sure what I want to do for a career, so I will be just as shocked by the result. I definitely hope to be successful in whatever I do. But wow, I have no idea where I’ll be…probably somewhere in New Jersey, hopefully doing something cool!