Samir Khalid Pringle

I learned about Penn College after talking to my guidance counselor in high school and she recommended I apply.

Something that made an impression during my first visit was how nice everyone on campus was.

Penn College can be tough to adjust to, especially if you come from a big city like Philadelphia like me, but the welcoming community and support from students makes that adjustment much easier.

Since I was a kid, I was always fascinated by the idea of business. I grew up around people who were involved in business. My aunt took me to her office where she worked plenty of times and allowed me to see what she does as an accountant. My parents both run their own businesses. Seeing how they conduct business and manage everything and stay on top of the day-to-day operations was always cool to me. During my teenage years, I began self-teaching myself about business, finance, and management to get a better understanding of business prior to coming to college. When I decided to come to Penn College, choosing the Business Administration program was obvious.

My favorite professor is Dr. Tammy Rich. I have had her for a couple of classes so far. She has been nothing but amazing. She is also my academic advisor. The amount of support I have received from her academically and personally really made me feel welcome. This has really helped me succeed not only in college, but in my personal life as well.

Being a Resident Assistant has shaped my leadership style in multiple ways. Every resident that you have is different from the next so there is no one right leadership style that works. Everyone needs different things and some require more attention than others. So, the way I lead is being personable and being strategic in how I interact with each of my residents.

My scholarship means everything to me. I would not be in college if it were not for the financial support I have received from the Lenfest Foundation. In the beginning, I didn't really understand how to maximize my scholarship besides the financial part. Now I am aware of prior Lenfest students and am able to build connections and relationships with them.

My post-graduation plan is ultimately owning my own business. Until then, I want to find a job more focused on the management part of business. I want to learn as much as I can about that organization and how they do business, so I can be better educated and equipped with the skills and strategies needed when it's time to run my own company.

The advice I have for future students is for them to be themselves. You should not be afraid to change for the better.