Year: Junior
Major(s): Dual Business, History and Philosophy of Science
Minor: U.S History
Her Campus: Where are you from?
Sam Jankowitz: Mahwah, New Jersey. It’s twenty minutes outside New York.
HC: What made you come to Pitt?
SJ: Good question (She laughs). I guess I wanted a big school that had spirit. So, obviously Pitt came up on the list, and no one from my area had really gone here. I guess it just made me question—It was something very novel. Once I got here on campus, and I saw the students, and I saw the spirit, I think that’s what solidified that this was the school for me. Just that it was something super different, you have that suburb feel in a city. You have students from everywhere. It’s the people!
HC: What are you involved in here at Pitt?
SJ: I’m a sister of Alpha Delta Pi and I’m a brother of the business fraternity, Phi Gamma Nu. I’m on Panhellenic Exec with ADPi, which is super fun! I’m also a founding member and business manager of Cure Pitt, which is an organization that raises advocacy and awareness for hospitals in third-world countries. I’m also a part of three honoraries.
HC: Why are you running for SGB?
SJ: I want to be a voice for students on campus. I want to be someone they feel comfortable coming to. I also think that our campus has come so far since I’ve been here, but there are still some areas I’d like to see improved in some ways. Like one of my initiatives, safety. I think it’s just being that voice for students.
HC: What do you hope to accomplish if elected?
SJ: As a slate, we really just hope to make SGB transparent. I think we want to be that voice for students, like I said, and help them see the things they want changed.
HC: So what got you interested in your major?
SJ: I knew I wanted something in the health care area, but I didn’t know exactly how I wanted to go about that. So, I came across health care administration and it was very interesting and very myself, concerning health and business (I’m a super business brain). So, I decided to research more about History and Philosophy of Science, and I thought that I could use certain aspects of that major in the field. One of our members on board, Joseph, is actually working towards a Public Health certificate, and that would ideally complete my education, but right now we’ll work with the two majors!
HC: What are you looking forward to in your future here at Pitt?
SJ: I think I’m looking forward to just meeting new people and continuing having such an incredible college experience. I mean, in the past month, we’ve met so many people, and I’ve gotten to see how everyone loves Pitt in a different way, through organizations and things they’re involved with. But I think just learning more about Pitt. I also want to explore more outside of Pitt and bring it back to Pitt. I know the Strip District has vendors on Sundays and just stuff like that. I want to get it all in before I graduate.
HC: What’s your spirit animal and why?
SJ: I never know what to say! I would have to say a dolphin, or a mermaid but I think people are going to think mermaids are weird, because I like the beach, I love the water, and I love how freeing the ocean is and how it’s very intriguing you don’t know much about it. Also I just think they’re super cool.
HC: Anything else you want to say about your slate, Incline?
SJ: If you see any of us (Max Kneis, Matt Sykes, Joseph Kannarkat, and myself) come up to us and talk! Please come up to us and approach us. I feel like that’s the only way people who are running are going to know what the problems are. And voting is on March 1st on your myPitt portal!
Photo credits: Pictures provided by Sam