By Miranda Koewler
Student Life’s communications team sat down with third-year Sam Koziol to talk about all the things that make this Disney fanatic extraordinary. We hope you will find this story just as magical as we do.
Miranda: What are you studying and why?
Sam: Marketing with a leadership studies minor. Marketing plays to both my creative side and my people skills. It’s an ever-changing field that offers various new experiences with new people. For leadership studies, it is something that aligns with anything you do in your life.
Tell me about some of the things you’re involved in on campus and in the community.
First is Mount Leadership Scholars Society. I was involved in various roles, like Member Development Chair, that developed me as a leader and community servant. In Post Mount life, I will be taking the role of Awareness Officer, which promotes the identity of Post Mount scholars and increases their relationship with younger Mounties.
Next is Ohio Staters, Inc., which pushes me to further develop my professional skills, connect with faculty members and better the campus through traditions. I am the Communications Chair and a Light Up North Area (LUNA) co-chair. LUNA takes place on Reading Day in December; We put up lights in north campus to brighten it up and bring people together during finals.
I am also one of the Student Life Event Marketing Interns. In the summer, I focus on all things Buck-I-Frenzy. I also work on various communication and marketing needs for the department.
Where is your favorite spot on campus and why?
I love the Union, specifically the Great Hall staircase. The words on the staircase are often unnoticed but are something I really appreciate. I also love Orton Bell Tower. It is run by Staters and has a lot of tradition behind it. I am a certified Orton tour guide!
What are three words to describe you?
Maximizer. It stresses making the most out of a situation or getting the most out of myself.
Musician. I started playing piano when I was five or six, then picked up the saxophone. Music led me to meet really great people, develop leadership skills as a drum major in high school band and gave me a skill that will last a lifetime.
Disney-lover. I have loved Disney all my life. For me, it is beyond the movies and theme parks. It started with my mom. When she was a teacher, she had a huge Disney mural on her wall painted by one of her students. Growing up, I remember doing research papers on Walt Disney and his development of Mickey and the parks. This helped my appreciation continue to grow.
Are there any specific Disney movies or characters with which you most relate?
As far as characters go, Mickey Mouse for sure. I have always viewed him as the embodiment of Walt Disney made to carry out his legacy. Both inspire me with the way they treat others and carry themselves. I have always loved “Finding Nemo.” I used to carry around my little Nemo toy all the time. There is so much you can learn from it including to “ride the waves” as taught by another favorite character, Squirt. Classics like Winnie the Pooh were a major part of my childhood. My favorite modern day Disney movie is probably “Saving Mr. Banks,” which gave me a better view of what Walt Disney was like.
Where do you see this influence in your life now?
Simply stated, Disney influences my general outlook on life. Understanding Walt Disney, his lessons and the motivation he had to achieve his dreams are aspects I truly admire and push to exemplify in my own life. It is my dream to work at Disney one day.
How do your goals for the future fit with what you’re doing here at Ohio State?
Ohio State is a place of opportunity, giving me the ability to experience so much and providing me with personal development that cannot be achieved elsewhere. I credit a lot of this to experiences outside the classroom. Many of the people I have met hold such diverse backgrounds, but every single one of them has an amazing outlook on life and giving back. I have always seen a connection between Staters and Disney. Staters’ motto is “Thinkers, Believers and Doers.” Walt Disney himself was the biggest believer ever. What I do in Staters is a small scale version of what Disney has done for the country and even the world. He never stopped believing in himself even after various failures, and with that, he encouraged the same attitude for the people around him.
What is the most important lesson you have learned from your love of Disney?
“If you can dream it you can do it” are words that I live by. No matter the obstacles in your way, you are capable of achieving your goals. This also relates to believing in yourself, even through failure. I view failure as a reason to grow and succeed.
I can tell that the Disney legacy has left quite a mark on your life. What mark do you want to leave on Ohio State after you graduate?
Whether it be a tradition in Staters that I supported or a program in Mount that I enacted, I want to be able to see that I left campus better than it was when I came. I want to make connections with the legacies that my fellow Buckeyes are creating. Getting to know more Buckeyes helps to create a network where we can count on one another.
After two years here, what is one thing you would encourage every Ohio State student to cross off their bucket list?
One thing that has impacted me is to connect with faculty members. We take classes from them, but there is so much more we can learn outside of a lecture hall. My first year advisor was an encouraging faculty member that helped to welcome me to the campus. With Staters and working in Student Life, I am able to connect with the faculty of this great university. I encourage more students to reach out and get to know the people around them. Hearing their stories can teach us so much more.