Name: Chris Mergenthaler
Year: Junior
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Relationship Status: In a Relationship
Major: Entrepreneurship, Finance and Real Estate
Her Campus (HC): Tell me about some of your campus involvements.
Chris Mergenthaler: I really enjoy being involved in a lot of different areas of campus. I am a member of the Jim Moran Institute Consulting project, a brother of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, a member of the Young Entrepreneurship Society, a member of the Garnet and Gold Key leadership honorary and a member of the Student and Greek conduct boards.
HC: For those who may be unfamiliar with the FSU Student and Greek Conduct Boards, can you please provide our readers with a brief overview of these organizations?
CM: The Student and Greek conduct boards are responsible for upholding Florida States code of conduct. We hear cases of students and organizations that have violated that code. Most people think that we’re out to punish them, but it’s really meant to be a learning experience. I really enjoy helping others to better themselves.
HC: Tell me more about the Jim Moran Institute consulting project.
CM: The JMI consulting project is a five-person team that I’m on where we’ve been working for the past six months with Jim Moran Foundation on researching new strategies to improve their non-profit organization. Hopefully this summer we will have the opportunity to work on implementing the ideas we’ve come up with. It’s been a really great experience with an amazing team.
HC: What led you to join each of the organizations you are involved with?
CM: I really want to leave a legacy here at Florida State and getting involved is a really great way to do that. Besides making our campus an even better place, the people I’ve met and the experiences that I’ve had make it very worthwhile.
HC: Do you have any advice for fellow students who may be seeking a leadership role?
CM: Be passionate about everything you do and pursue every opportunity to get involved. If you are passionate about a certain organization, you will end up in a leadership role, I promise.
HC: I know you started your own business, Delta Aerial Imaging, LLC. Tell me more about this!
CM: Delta Aerial Imaging is one of the only FAA approved Aerial photography companies in the Tallahassee area. It’s a lot of fun to fly drones as a business, and I’ve gotten to work on some pretty cool jobsites.
HC: What are some of the goals you hope to achieve with your business?
CM: Like any entrepreneur I hope to grow my business as large as I possibly can. I don’t want to fly drones the rest of my life though, so I will look to sell the business when I graduate.
Courtesy: Chris Mergenthaler
HC: Switching gears into academics, it’s fairly unique to have three majors! What led you to choose each of these?
CM: Entrepreneurship, Finance and Real Estate are all pretty similar in the way that you can take something small and grow it into something much larger. That’s what excites me about business, and I knew that’s what I wanted to study in college.
HC: How do you balance each major and do they overlap in any way?
CM: If you’re passionate about something (in this case three things) it makes class a lot more interesting. There’s not too much overlap between the three but I’m still on track to graduate in four years.
HC: What are some of your future aspirations?
CM: I plan on starting up other businesses in the future. Entrepreneurship is exciting to me because it allows me to take something and grow it into something bigger and better. I really want to make a difference in the world and impact peoples lives for the better. That’s what entrepreneurship is all about, and I know that’s what I want to do the rest of my life.
HC: What three words would you use to describe yourself?
CM: I would describe myself as a passionate, driven leader.
HC: Aside from your campus involvements, what do you enjoy doing most in your spare time?
CM: I really enjoy doing anything adventurous. I’m really big into fishing, hiking, riding my motorcycle and I even do woodworking in my spare time.
HC: Who or what would you say inspires you on a daily basis?
CM: My mom has always been my inspiration in everything I do. She taught me from an early age how to be very independent, but at the same time she has always been my biggest support. As an entrepreneur herself, I really look up to her and everything that she’s done.
HC: Last but not least, tell us a fun fact about yourself!
CM: I’m really into carpentry and woodworking. I’ve actually built a lot of stuff for my fraternity and even furniture for my own room.
Courtesy: Chris Mergenthaler