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This week’s campus celebrity is a person who gives back to the community, genuinely enjoys college and learning new things, and impacts SUNY New Paltz in a positive way. Not only is Nicole a brother of Alpha Phi Omega (a service fraternity), but she is a newly inducted SAM of the Student Union Building. As a SAM, Nicole has to ensure the safety of the SUB, but most importantly, the students. The next time you are in the Student Union Building, stop by the front desk and meet your new SAM!
Name: Nicole Zeltmann
Hometown: Middle Village, NY
Class Status: Junior
Major/Minor: Communication Disorders/ Deaf studies and Linguistics
Relationship Status: Single and ready to mingle
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H.C. For those who do not know, what does SAM stand for?
N.Z. “Student Activities Manager!”
H.C. Why did you decide to apply to be a Student Activities Manager?
N.Z. “I wanted to work on campus and I saw that there were openings for Student Activities Managers. I looked into what they did and I thought that the job would be a good fit for me, and I would learn from being a SAM.”
H.C. How has the job shaped you into the person you are today?
N.Z. “I have learned a lot about myself and gained a lot of communications skills from it, as well as a lot of problem solving strategies that I would not have known if I wasn’t a SAM. I have also learned about technology and how it is so important in a building like the SUB.”
H.C. Do you plan on applying to be a SAM next year?
N.Z. “That’s a good question! I think I am going to because I have learned so much, and I think there is more I can learn by doing it another year.”
H.C. What advice do you have for future SAM applicants?
N.Z. “One, be yourself in the interview. Two, dress as if you were going to any interview.  Don’t think of the Student Union as a casual place.  Dress as if you are going to a formal job interview- I think that makes a good impression. Lastly, don’t overthink the questions that are being asked! You might end up saying something you didn’t mean to say.”
H.C. What are the downfalls of having such a reputable job on campus?
N.Z. “Well, being a SAM is a big responsibility. You are the manager of the building when the professional staff leaves, and if anything goes wrong in the building when they are gone, it’s on you. I would say managing so many things at once, and not knowing what to do first can be troublesome. Also, working long hours on weekends means not being able to go out and having to sacrifice many hours of my week to do other SAM related things.”
SPEED ROUND:
H.C. Favorite color?
N.Z. “Turquoise.”
H.C. Favorite place to eat on campus and in town?
N.Z. “On campus: I guess I would say Ridgeview. And in town: I am going to say Village Tea Room.”
H.C. Favorite show?
N.Z. “How to Get Away with Murder!”
H.C. Favorite movie?
N.Z. “Grease. I know that is weird but I want to watch it, and I am sucker for musicals!”
H.C. What is a strange fact about yourself?
N.Z. “I swallow cherry pits whole and I eat popcorn kernels.”
H.C. Where do you see yourself in five years?
N.Z. “At 25 I would hope to be working as a speech therapist, have travelled to Europe, and be living in NYC.”
H.C. Favorite sports team?
N.Z. “Mets, no doubt about it.”
H.C. Who do you admire most?
N.Z. “My mom.”
H.C. What do you hope to achieve in college?
N.Z. “I hope to make a good name for myself, make friends with those in my major and outside of my major, and learn things that I wouldn’t otherwise have if I didn’t go to New Paltz.”
H.C. Do you prefer salty or sweet?
N.Z. “I am both- but I like chocolate, so I guess I am sweet?”
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