Samantha Pinnock

Samantha Pinnock is a business management major from Calumet City, IL

Hometown: Calumet City, IL

Year: Expected graduation: May 2021

Major: Business Management

Minor: Marketing

What scholarships did you receive and why did you receive them? How has the financial support impacted your experience at NIU?
This fall I received the Herb Eldean and Barsema College of Business scholarships based on merit. With the financial support, I am able to finish my final year at NIU owing no financial fees.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you pursuing that as a major, or have you taken another path?
Growing up, I helped my father run his restaurant business. This inspired me to become an entrepreneur myself. Though I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, it was not until I decided to major in business management at NIU that I honed in on what field of entrepreneurship really interested me.

What is your major (and/or minor) and why did you decide on this course of study?
I am a business management major with a minor in marketing. I chose this field of study because of my deep interest in the business world. I also knew that NIU was a great business school and I would feel at home in the management department.

What has been something you have found pleasantly surprising about your experience at NIU?
I have always heard that it is difficult to obtain job opportunities and scholarships, but I was pleasantly surprised how supportive NIU was my freshman year. The school provides so many opportunities for students of all majors and minors through a great deal of events, so it's hard not to find at least one.

How have you connected with other students at NIU?
I have always been fortunate enough to be connected to organizations within my college, which has given me the opportunity to meet so many amazing students. My freshman year at NIU, I joined the Collegiate Entrepreneurship Organization. I am still with the org today, now with an executive board position. I've connected with many students this way.

Are you involved in any student organizations or extracurricular activities? If so, which ones? How have they added to your experience as a Huskie? 
Yes, and it's been one of the greatest decisions I've made since attending NIU. I joined the Collegiate Entrepreneurship Organization my freshman year at NIU, and now, as a senior, I am part of the dean's student advisory board. I'm hoping to start one of my own before graduation. The connections you make within a student organization are priceless. It is something I encourage everyone to do at some point in their college career.

Who has been one of your favorite instructors/professors and why? What course did they teach?
This is a tough question to answer. I have honestly had some of the greatest professors a student can have while attending NIU, all for different reasons. Since I have to choose one, my favorite professor in the College of Business is Dr. Bethany Cockburn. I had her for my management negotiations course, and she was somehow able to make such an intense and stressful topic collaborative and engaging.

Where is your favorite spot on campus or in the community? Why are you drawn to it?
I enjoyed going with friends to the rec center, where we would work out or join fitness classes together. I always loved the energy I would receive when there and the endorphins I would get after a nice workout.

What advice would you give to a student who is applying to colleges? 
Pick the right fit for you, even if that means you have to physically go to the campus. Your environment will have a big impact on whether or not you have a great college experience, so choose the college that is best for you.

Coming to college, what is something that you have had to learn to do differently?
Time management has always been a struggle for me, but I quickly learned that it is essential when trying to balance academic, social and organizational life. I have also learned that building and maintaining a social network is important to every student's professional life.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
I am a firm believer in self-care, and if I'm recharged, I can achieve this. Every weekend I try to journal and exercise in my free time as a way to recharge for the week.