Who leads SpringForward?
The SpringForward team is made up of 3 full-time staff:
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Anne Grunden, M.S.Ed. |
Amanda Donahue, M.A. |
Paul Gregor, M.A. |
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| Hometowns: both Lincoln, Rhode Island and Westerville, Ohio Started working at Ohio State: 2017 |
Hometown: New Philadelphia, Ohio (home of the fighting Quakers) Started working at Ohio State: 2012 |
Hometown: Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio (AKA: T-Town, Glass City) Started working at Ohio State: 2020 |
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| What Anne loves about working with students: My favorite thing about working with students is finding out what they are passionate about, and helping them make a plan for how to turn that passion into a part of their college experience. Whether it be through major exploration, course selection, student organizations, or getting involved with the community, I find it incredibly rewarding to get students connected with what ignites their fire – even if I don’t know anything about it! Learning alongside my students has made me into a better higher education professional and advisor. | What Amanda loves about working with students: I love hearing students’ stories; I can hear what students are excited or nervous about. Listening to students and hearing their diverse experiences helps to make me better as a person and as a professional. Each story helps to guide me in my work and continue moving forward to make SpringForward a suitable experience for each student.
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What Paul loves about working with students: I love the connections I make with students. It is very gratifying to have students “want” to come back and speak with me. I consider it an honor that students choose to share their stories and struggles with me and I take this honor very seriously. I know how difficult it can be for a student to share their vulnerabilities and concerns with a person and the fact that I can play a part in the story of their success is a privilege. | |||||
| Favorite Ohio State memory/tradition: My favorite Ohio State tradition is Convocation. The energy in the first week of Autumn semester is palpable, and I love seeing how excited the first-year students are to get started on their journey as Buckeyes. Having all of the first-year students sitting in one lecture hall in a powerful moment, since it doesn’t happen again until graduation. | Favorite Ohio State memory/tradition: Going to New Orleans to watch Ohio State play in a bowl game versus Arkansas. The city was filled with Ohio State fans everywhere and the comradery that weekend was incredible.
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Favorite Ohio State memory/tradition: I have both a favorite memory and tradition. My favorite memory of Ohio State was as a child, visiting the campus. We were visiting my cousin who was an undergraduate at the time and I was absolutely amazed at the size and vibrancy of the college. My favorite tradition at Ohio State is the crossing out of the M’s during the TTUN week for football. | |||||
| Something Anne wishes she had done in college: I wish I had sought out the resources and support staff that were available to me on campus. I was always a “high achieving student” and prided myself on being independent. However, this made it hard for me to admit when I needed help. I just thought I would figure out my problems on my own. If I had swallowed my pride and asked for help from the people who were there to support students, I probably would have spent less time being stressed about what I was doing in college!
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Something Amanda wishes she had done in college: I wish I would have studied abroad. I think college is a chance to try new things and push your comfort zone. I love traveling and experiencing different cultures, but I didn’t think as an English major studying abroad made any sense. Had I taken the time to talk to someone about it, I would have known that wasn’t the case and could have pursued the opportunity. | Something Paul wishes he had done in college: I wish I would have enjoyed myself more as an actual college student. I enjoyed all of the non-academic aspects of being a college student, such as joining groups, going to parties and athletic events, but it wasn’t until I returned to college as an older adult that I realized how much I actually loved learning and growing as a student. It is important to remember that learning is a lifelong process that does not or should not end once we leave the classroom. | |||||
SpringForward also has a steering committee composed of staff and administrators from several areas of campus.
What if I have more questions?
We love questions! Send your questions to: springforward@osu.edu. We are happy to help you learn more about the program and see if it is the right fit for you!