Amber Montavon, Class of 2016
I currently am employed at Shawnee State University in the Office of Marketing & Communications. As the Coordinator of Internal Communications I handle all of the internal newsletter updates for faculty, staff, and students, update and monitor the campus app, and write the copy for brochures for academic programs and services at SSU.
My most recent responsibility at SSU has been taking the lead on developing the marketing campaign for the Shawnee Fund, SSU's annual giving fund. I write copy for email, print, and social media pieces, as well as organize a timeline for all of this information to be publicized during the fiscal year.
I have jumped at the chance to take on new projects in this position because everything our office does gives me a chance to keep expanding my marketing and communication skillset and also gives me experiences to further my career.
I am also currently pursuing my Masters of Public Administration degree from Ohio University.
Why Did I Choose SSU?
I am originally from the Portsmouth, Ohio area, so growing up I saw Shawnee State as the only place for me. One of the first times I remember actually spending a lot of time on campus was my senior year of high school when my friends and I visited the Clark Memorial Library. I instantly fell in love with the environment and felt at home on campus. When I graduated high school and received a scholarship to SSU, it all seemed like the perfect fit.
What Student Organizations Were You Involved In?
I was very involved in the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority while at SSU. I served as a Vice President my junior year and President my senior year, where I gained interpersonal and professional skills, as well as created lifelong friendships with my sisters.
I am still involved in DPhiE as a campus advisor and a volunteer for their International Headquarters.
What is the Best Thing About SSU?
I think the best thing about SSU is our size. Many students look at Shawnee State and see a small community, but I think it works out well for a majority of students on this campus.
Students have a place to feel at home and they have a great support system in their faculty, staff, and fellow students to help bring their ideas to life and to follow their career goals.
Advice to Future Students:
To future Bears, I encourage you to be involved and get to know your campus. Many great opportunities are waiting for you in every class, organization, and event that you take part in.
It is always worth putting yourself out there to improve your professional skills and create relationships that will last throughout your time here and beyond.
Nick Fannin, Class of 2014
My name is Nick Fannin, and I am a graduate of Shawnee State University's Department of Business in the class of 2014. As an undergraduate student at SSU, I focused on Acute Care Administration, where it prepared me for an ever-exciting career at a hospital or other acute care facility. After obtaining my degree, I continued my education at the University of Findlay where I completed my MBA online with two concentrations: Health Care Administration and Human Resources Management.
After graduation, I was hired on at UK HealthCare in the Patient Financial Services department, where my main responsibilities include: analyzing data and reports for overall department metrics, analyzing and ensuring proper payment for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) claims, assisting with difficult discharge patients that do not have a safe discharge due to social or financial reasons, and serving on a city-wide SOAR Leadership Team for the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention (OHPI) for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.
Why Did I Choose SSU?
I chose Shawnee due to location, as it is close to my hometown of South Portsmouth, KY. As a commuter student, it was very easy to go back and forth to classes since I was only 5 minutes away. In addition, it was also the best value option in the state of Ohio for Higher Education, which helped to stabilize my financial future.
What Student Organizations Were You Involved In?
As a student at SSU, I was involved in the Health Executives and Administrators Learning Society (HEALS) student organization, in which I served as President. Serving in HEALS helped develop real-world leadership skills which have transferred to my current position.
What is the Best Thing About SSU?
The best thing about SSU, in my opinion, are the small class sizes and individual learning opportunities. By having smaller class sizes, SSU is able to customize education to the individual level, which will only result in greater success. Everyone in the Business Department feels like family, which I still visit today.
Advice to Future Students:
The best advice I could give future students is to work hard and learn as much as possible. The wealth of knowledge and variety of different courses will prepare you for a career. Choose an internship that aligns with your interests and it will never feel like a job! You are in control of your own success - the harder you try, the greater you will succeed!
Robert Harris, Class of 2017
I spent six years in the Navy and completed training in the Naval Nuclear Power program. I qualified as an Electrical Operator and served on the Navy's only electric drive submarine.
Upon discharge from the Navy I spent four and a half months at Antarctica's largest research facility, McMurdo Station, as a power plant operator.
I then worked a couple of years as a field service technician in the heat-up and detour of refractory materials in steel mills, foundries, refineries, and glass factories.
After that, I obtained employment at the US Postal Service for 8 years and completed their Associate Supervisor Training Program.
In 2013, I attended Shawnee State through the Vocational Rehabilitation as I am a Disabled Veteran.
I chose Shawnee as it is close to my home in Manchester, Ohio and graduated in 2017 with a 3.59 GPA and was the recipient of the 2017 Marketing Student of the Year Award.
I have recently partnered with a financial literacy firm, teaching people how money works.