Lauren Byers
Admissions Counselor
800-248-4435 ext. 2838 or 724-589-2838
lbyers@thiel.edu
AIM: TCADMITLAURENB

Recruiting area: Central and Eastern Pennsylvania
Hometown: Clarence, NY
Undergraduate degree: Bachelor of Arts-Economics/Communication Arts from Allegheny College
Childhood dream: To be a TV show host
Career goal as a high school senior: To work in yearbook publishing or marketing.
Internships while in college: Was a Catalogue/Marketing Intern for FAO Schwarz; also did a sales internship with Service Office Supply.
Hobbies/Interests: Reading (and listening to books on tape when I am traveling!), exploring new places, Australia (where I studied abroad), the Buffalo Sabres, going to the beach, hanging out with family and friends.
Life ambitions/goals: I hope to pursue a master's degree in higher education, or a marketing related field. I would like to continue to work in admissions or in higher education marketing. I also hope to do a lot more traveling and learn how to sail.
Advice for high school students: Find a school where you feel comfortable. Search to discover a school that is a good fit academically and that also has the outlets for you to develop your personal interests. Also, it is never too early to start looking at schools. The more time you can spend at a school the more educated and well thought out decision you can make.

Stephanie Hills
Admissions Counselor
800-248-4435 ext. 2111 or 724-589-2185
shills@thiel.edu
AIM: TCADMITSTEPHANIE

Recruiting area: Mercer and Lawrence Counties (PA)
Hometown: Greenville, PA
Undergraduate degree: Bachelor of Arts –Communication (Thiel College, 2004)
Childhood dream: To become a famous concert pianist and to open an orphanage.
Career goal as a high school senior: Opera Singer
Hobbies /Interests: Spending time with my fiancé, Joe; playing with my two dogs; my church; singing and playing the piano; reading; working around my house; game nights with friends.
Favorite quote: “God grant me the wisdom to accept the things I cannot change, change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Life ambitions: I hope to always strive to become a better person and to have a positive effect on the people I encounter during this wonderful journey called life; to become more patient; to be an excellent wife, mother, co-worker and friend.
Advice for high school students: Cherish your high school years, they will fly by quicker than you realize. Remember, it’s never too early to start preparing for “the next step” in your life. Your grades matter as early as your freshman year, so get the right start in continuing your education by earning good grades. Visit any school you are interested in; ask a lot of questions; meet as many people on the campus as you can before you make a decision. Often it is not the strong academic or athletic program that will make the four years you spend in college so meaningful, but it will be the people you meet who will have a lasting effect on your life! Finally, you only get out of college what you put into it, so once you make a decision, jump in, get involved, stay on campus, and most of all HAVE FUN!

Sonya Lapikas
Associate Director of Admissions
800-248-4435 ext. 2172 or 724-589-2172
slapikas@thiel.edu
AIM: TC Admit Sonya

Recruiting area: Pittsburgh
Hometown: Sharon, Pa.
Undergraduate degree: Business Administration/concentration in Marketing from Clarion University
Career goal as a high school senior: Become a Guidance Counselor
Internships while in college: Admissions Office – Clarion University
Hobbies/Interests: Pittsburgh Steelers!, Spending time with my family, especially my daughter, Katie, Spending time with friends
Favorite quote:“Don’t sweat the small stuff!”
Life ambitions: I would still like to become a Guidance Counselor. I believe the experience I have gained through my years of working in admissions would be very beneficial in this field. 
Advice for high school students:  It’s never too early to start researching your college options, It’s also very important to buckle down and give it your all beginning with your freshman year in high school, because it may be too late to work on/improve your GPA if you wait until your junior or senior year to do so. Campus visits are very important too, so please don’t assume that you want to go to a “big” or “small” college or university without completing the campus visit process.

Jeff Linn

Recruiting Area: Greater Pittsburgh, Washington and Greene (Pa.) Counties
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa. (City of Champions)
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Arts–History/Elementary Education (Thiel College, 2002)
Graduate Degree: “In Progress” MS in Organizational Leadership (Nova Southeastern University)
Childhood Dream: To become a professional football player
Career goal as a high school senior: To become a forensic scientist or a reality television star (haha)
Internships while in college:  Student teaching experience in both first and fourth grade along with special education experience at the high school level
Hobbies/Interests: Weight Training, coaching wrestling, organizing fund raising events to benefit high school athletes, traveling with my wife Kateri to exotic locations, collecting cool t-shirts/hats, dreaming and thinking of that one BIG IDEA that could change everything,  
Favorite Quote: “Destiny”
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become your actions.
Watch your actions; they become your habits.
Watch your habits; they become your character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny
Life Ambitions/Goals:  To live my life to the fullest each and every day. To try to be the best husband, friend, son, manager, and person I can be. I also want to continue to assist and educate high school students and families with the difficult decision of finding the perfect college or university.     
Advice for high schools students:  Always give yourself places to compare. The best place for you is often found where the PEOPLE make the place. You have to find: 1). The right academic fit, 2.) The right social fit, 3.) The right financial fit, and finally a place where you feel at home. I visited a lot of colleges before choosing Thiel.  After my visit when I shut the car door and ventured back to Pittsburgh, I realized that Thiel was place I was going to call home and it still is to this day.    

Vicki Poe

Recruiting area: 45 states excluding Pa., Ohio, W.Va., N.J., N.Y. and transfer students
Hometown: Greenville, PA
Undergraduate Degree: B.A.–Health, Physical Education, Recreation from Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana
Graduate Degree: Masters in Education from Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pa.
Childhood Dream: 1. To become a teacher, 2. To decorate floats for the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, Calif.
Career goal as a high school senior: Teacher
Hobbies/Interests: My church, book club, hiking, boating and the beach, travel with my children, spending time with my friends, member of the Greenville Symphony Board
Favorite quote: "Knowledge comes from books; wisdom comes from showing up for life"
Life Ambitions: To help young people become the best they can be which in turn will help make our country and world a better and stronger place.
Advice for high school students: Search for a place of learning post-high school that will fit your ambitions and dreams and will help you contribute in a positive way to the world around you.

Jennifer Pruzinsky
Admissions Counselor
800-248-4435 ext. 2185 or 724-589-2185
jpruzinsky@thiel.edu
AIM: TC Admit Jennifer

Recruiting Area: Northern Pa. (north of I-80) and N.Y.
Hometown: Painesville, Ohio
Undergraduate Degree: Psychology and Biology from Waynesburg College
Graduate Degree: Student Affairs in Higher Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Childhood Dream: To become a marine mammal trainer and veterinarian
Career goal as a high school senior: Director of college admissions
Internships while in college: Education Intern at Sea World Orlando and Marine Mammal Training Intern at the National Aquarium in Baltimore
Hobbies/Interests: Animals, any Pittsburgh sports team, the beach, traveling, listening to my iPod, chai tea, surprises, smiling and making a difference in people’s lives!
Favorite Quote: “Everything happens for a reason!”; “Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do!”
Life Ambitions: I plan to receive a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration, which will help me on my journey to becoming a Vice President of Enrollment Management and then President for a college. I also want to open an animal rescue shelter that will assist abandoned and abused animals.
Advice for high schools students: Search for a college that you will be happy at and be proud to call home for four years. Find what you are passionate about and pursue that as a career. Above all else, be a dream catcher and always strive to leave a legacy!

I found my passion in helping high school students and their families through the college search process, and I hope Thiel will be the place you will discover your passion.

Randy Smith
Admissions Counselor
800-248-4435 ext. 2177 or 724-589-2177
rsmith@thiel.edu
AIM: TC Admit Randy

Recruiting Area: All of Ohio except for Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties
Hometown: Lockport, N.Y.
Undergraduate Degree: B.A. in Organizational Communication from Youngstown State University
Childhood Dream: Professional football player
Career goal as a high school senior: To graduate from college and obtain a good job in case the football career didn’t pan out!
Hobbies/Interests: Hanging out with my kids and enjoying life!
Favorite Quote: “We each have a choice: to approach life as a creator or a critic, a lover or a hater, a giver or a taker.” Author unknown from The Winners Manual for the Game of Life by Jim Tressel
Life Ambitions: I plan to receive my master’s degree in Higher Education. I also want to help my kids become well rounded individuals.
Advice for high school students: Follow your heart and choose a college for the right reasons.

Tracey Warner

Recruiting Area: International
Hometown: Greenville, Pa.
Undergraduate Degree: BA Spanish, Westminster College
Study Abroad: Universidad de Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
Childhood Dream: To become a teacher
Career goal as a high school senior: To become an English teacher
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, shopping, reading, spending time with family and friends.
Life ambition: I am currently working on my masters degree in counseling. I want to continue helping students follow their dreams of an education, whether in the high school or college level. I would also like to earn my certificate in TESOL. 
Advice for high school seniors: Studying abroad is one of the best experiences you can have. Your eyes are opened to another culture and you expand your world views. It helps you to grow not only educationally, but mentally and emotionally as well.