Before you get to read my good friend Mike’s Campus Celebrity interview, I would like to say a few words about him! I met Mike last year during a Management200 class. His wit, charm, intelligence, creativity, determination, and dedication to not only his class work, but to his clubs and organizations, jobs, and of course friends were really what striked me as, no other word than, awesome. I was sitting here this morning as I realized our Campus Celebrity for the week backed out and had to run through my mind who could possibly fill the spot. Mike came up first. He, to this minute I think, still has no idea why he was chosen as Campus Celebrity. He’s just the big guy on campus-everyone adores him, he rocks every project he’s handed, he’s president of his fraternity, and he really has a good head on his shoulders. I am so happy to have met him, a little over a year ago, work on a group project with him and get to call him one of my friends. So Mike, you were chosen to be Campus Celebrity because of the person you are and all you have accomplished. I am almost guaranteed to see you throughout my day multiple times because you are always all over campus, I guess so am I now that I think about it. Congratulations on all you have accomplished thus far! I look forward to see what’s to come with you and of course more years of laughs, projects, and plain ol’ friendship with you.
Name: Michael Malenfant
Graduation Year: 2013
Major/Minor: Management/Legal Studies
Activities on Campus: Sigma Chi, Bryant Center Manager, Student Ambassador and Orientation Leader for the last two years.
HC: Coming into freshmen year, and now looking back, what are all the roles and projects that you have held or done which you would say makes you “campus celebrity” material?
MM: First off, I wasn’t really aware I was campus celebrity material… haha but thanks I guess! I will say though that the two roles which have meant the most to me, or have been the most rewarding, would be the Orientation Leader’s Staff Coordinator last year and recently being elected Sigma Chi’s new president.
HC: What would you say was your greatest academic success on campus? How about your greatest social success?
MM: My greatest academic success would probably be the work in group projects. From Business 101 to Management 200, I’ve always taken pride in competitive presentations. My group placed in the E-Pitch and Marketing Competition for Business101, and sophomore year we also placed in the Management200 competition. Unfortunately I wasn’t as lucky with Marketing…oh well. As for socially, I guess I’d say where I’m at right now. This year I’ve really been able to learn who my closest friends are, settle down with a girl on campus, and be able to focus on my future, all while having a good time with my last year and a half at Bryant.
HC: Is it difficult to balance being a student by day, BC manager by night, and Sigma-Chi brother on the weekends?
MM: To be honest, not really. If you asked me this question last year, I would have been more likely to say yes. I’m always busy, but it is what it is. I’m pretty transparent about being a college student and balancing the responsibilities I have at the same time and I think I do a pretty decent job at it. Being on Bryant’s small campus its important to be mindful what you’re doing at all times. To me, what’s the point of being a different person during than week than you are on the weekends.
HC: What has been your greatest Bryant experience thus far?
MM: Hm, well to talk about something different, we’ll go with when I actually wasn’t even a student yet. As a prospective student I came to the scholarship dinner which was the day I knew I wanted to be at Bryant for the next four years. I was supposed to go to another school’s open house the next day, but after the dinner, decided to head back to Bryant the following day to put down my deposit.
HC: Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, and even 30 years from now?
MM: Quite frankly… I have no clue. I’m kind of all over the place. I could see myself working in a non-for-profit, human resources, or at a University working with students. I’m more of a in-the-moment person rather than looking in the future.