SELINSGROVE, PA - Ryan Rorls, a sophomore volleyball player for Susquehanna, was recently elected as the Junior Student Representative to the university's Board of Trustees. As the Junior Student Representative, Rorls will become the voice of the students at this university and speak on behalf of them at meetings. She will also be overseeing the financial department's budget, creating opportunities to benefit SU and the Selinsgrove community, and finding ways to incorporate the university more with the Selinsgrove area in a positive manner.  

Rorls says a combination of her passion for Susquehanna, being a first-generation college student, and love for serving others inspired her to run for the Board of Trustees position. "I want to be a voice that inspires others and shows them know that they can do it too!" she said in an interview. She states that being a representative on the board makes her extremely excited for this new journey to work closely with Trustees and other students on campus! The position will also give her preparation for a future career in management, as she'll be learning how business decisions are made at a collegiate level.  

Since Ryan is a student athlete on the volleyball team, she has learned important values from her sport that she can apply to her position. The most important ones are being authentic, humble, and encouraging positivity. Authenticity, as she describes, is incredibly important in athletics, as it helps to develop better relationships with teammates and staff. Humility develops a compassionate leadership style, as well as better listening and increased collaboration. Above all, she puts positivity on top. "Positivity is extremely important – I'm a glass half full person. Keeping a positive mindset prepares you for adverse situations and gives you the chance to assess a situation and determine "what's good, what needs improvement, and how can we move forward?"  

Ryan says she strives to be better every day due to the motivation and support from her friends, family, and mentors, and according to the volleyball team's head coach Ku'uipo Tom, that attitude has already made her successful. Coach Tom knew of Ryan's leadership capabilities even from the time she was a recruit and says that she's destined for roles beyond just a student athlete. "When she was a freshman, and they were looking for someone to fill the role on the Board, I submitted her name early so that I would be able to keep her out in front of this because of her exceptional leadership skills. She is a calm, articulate, clear-thinking young adult who impresses me daily."  

Rorls is confident that her experience on the Board of Trustees will help her achieve her goals before graduation as well as her post-graduation plans. She will be gaining about 40 new mentors she can go to for advice, as well as plenty of networking opportunities with established business professionals. By the time she graduates from SU, her personal goal is to become the first person in her family to graduate from college. Afterwards, she hopes to attend graduate school for a master's degree in business administration. She wants to use her degree(s) and experience to develop beneficial relationships with those around her and make positive impacts in all aspects of her life. She is currently preparing for her retreat and formal induction to the Board of Trustees, which will begin around June 22.