Business major plans to cash in on her leadership exposure at BGSU

Hannah Salo, originally undecided on her major, is graduating with a 3.97 GPA

By Bob Cunningham ’18

You don’t have to have all the answers before you head off to college. In fact, that’s kind of the point.

One of the reasons Hannah Salo enrolled at Bowling Green State University was because of its Deciding Student Program.

Salo wasn't ready to make a decision after her first on-campus visit as a student from Lakewood (Ohio) High School, but after visiting a friend a few times at BGSU she decided she “liked the vibe of Bowling Green” as she continued to visit other universities.

As it turns out, her indecisiveness actually played into Bowling Green’s favor.

“Once I was thinking about what I wanted to do, I realized I was unsure and BGSU had a great program for undecided majors,” said Salo, who is graduating with 3.97 GPA and a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a specialization in management from the Allen W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst College of Business. “I really liked being able to start my college career, knowing that the Deciding Student Program was designed to help me find the right fit."

She also visited Bowling Green during a blizzard.

“I was outside in the snow and the tour guide was amazing,” Salo said. “My mom asked me if I really wanted to come here if the weather was going to be like that all the time. It just came down to the community here, and I really wanted to stay after looking more into the Deciding Student Program. And I think after seeing the campus a couple of times, I just wanted the personal experience it had to offer.”

But once I landed a job at the Office of Residence Life as a student desk manager, I realized I really liked the human resources aspect of that position and I liked being surrounded by people and being their manager. I grew a lot as a person with that job.

“I took a business class my freshman year and thought it wasn't for me and went into environmental policy,” Salo said. “But once I landed a job at the Office of Residence Life as a student desk manager, I realized I really liked the human resources aspect of that position and I liked being surrounded by people and being their manager. I grew a lot as a person with that job. Now, I am interested in finding a job where I can better the workplace environment through various skills earned throughout my BGSU experience.

“It took me a while to figure out my course of action, but once I did, I had to work really hard and take summer courses over multiple summers to be able to graduate on time because I didn't want to stay after my academic scholarship ended. I really am interested in the field of human resources, so I would love to explore the field of talent development. However, I want to figure out where I want to live first and then find a job in my field.”

In addition to being a desk manager in the Office of Residence Life for two years, she also was a residence advisor for a year. Both positions helped build retention and community on campus, she said.

“Through these involvements, I have grown to hold valuable skills such as oral and written communication, leadership, organization and teamwork,” Salo said. “My hope is to put these skills into effect within my career and help improve a company to reach their future goals.”

She also was a member of the sorority Delta Zeta for three years. She enjoyed serving in leadership positions such as the sustainability chair and on the College Panhellenic Conference Board and Order of Omega.

The University far surpassed her expectations, Salo said.

“I came here not really knowing what I wanted to do,” she said. “I found my place in a great community within residence life and sorority life. I've grown a lot since coming here, especially while serving in leadership-focused positions on campus and gaining real-world experience I can use in my career.

“I was really able to take advantage of campus opportunities while I was here, and that really pushed me into becoming the best version of myself — and that’s really important.”

Business major plans to cash in on her leadership exposure at BGSU

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