Year: Senior
Major: English
Her Campus: Tell us a little about yourself – what are you involved with on campus?
Ryan Scandaglia: My name is Ryan Scandaglia (the G is silent), I am from Wilmette, Illinois, suburb right outside of Chicago. I am a Pathfinder and the president of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.
HC: How did you decide to join these organizations?
RS: Joining Pitt Pathfinders was a great way to give back to the Pitt community. I went to a high school with roughly four thousand people, and I was the only to go to Pitt from my class. This was exclusively because of my tour, I would have never considered Pitt otherwise. Having a similar impact on prospective students means a lot to me because it’s a great way to showcase how great of a school Pitt truly is.
I joined Delta Sigma Phi because I wanted to be apart of a group that was bigger than myself, and also to break down the typical fraternity stereotypes. We started this group to me a transparent group of guys trying to make a positive impact on the community. As the Chartering President, the guys have worked extremely hard to build a great reputation on campus. When we leave Pitt, we will be proud of the legacy we created that will continue on for years to come.
HC: What would you like people to know about your reason for running for Homecoming King?
RS: I want people to know that I am running for Homecoming King to give back to the organizations that have defined my Pitt experience. My big in Pathfinders won two years ago, and it was incredibly rewarding to see how excited the organization was. I also want to win this for my brothers to give them the notoriety they have been working so hard to earn. I am running for so much more than myself, I’m running for the people who have put me in a position to succeed in the organizations I’m apart of.
HC: Was it an easy thing to decide to do?
RS: The only reason it wasn’t difficult is because I believe the people I’m running for really deserve this. Specifically, the fraternity deserves this because so much of a Greek organization’s success depends on reputation.
HC: What is your favorite Pitt memory?
RS: Beating Penn State. The best part about Pitt is the pride that the students have. Whether you like sports, or don’t care at all, you rally around the general idea of Pitt, and this was clearly demonstrated by beating a school that many of us considered attending.
HC: Another important factoid: Antoon’s or Sorrentos?
RS: Antoon’s, and this really isn’t that close of a call.
HC: And, maybe even the most important, what will you miss most about attending Pitt?
RS: At the end of the day, it’s hard to pick what I will miss about Pitt. As a Pathfinder we always brag about our retention rate, which at one time (not sure if this is accurate as of this year) is 93%. That’s an incredible number. It just shows you how much this student body loves their school. I’m going to miss South O and all it’s filth, and I’m going to miss not being able to step foot anywhere on campus without seeing the beautiful Pitt script right in your face.
Photo credits: Photos are the subject’s own