When Jennifer Pruzinsky, SPIRE’s new Director of College Planning & Placement, was a sophomore in high school, she made an impromptu visit to Waynesburg College (now University) in Pennsylvania. Despite not having an appointment, she remembers how the admissions counselor “dropped everything” to welcome her, arranged a tour, and answered the many questions she had. That encounter not only convinced Pruzinsky that Waynesburg was the college for her, it set her on the path to what was to become her life’s work.

“I was instantly attracted to the college search process, finding the right ‘fit’ and advising and mentorship aspects of being an admissions representative,” she says. “The idea of being able to guide students and their families at this really important time in their lives was exciting to me.”

So exciting, in fact, says Pruzinsky, that when she chose to attend Waynesburg, her first day on campus she went to the Admissions Office and became a student ambassador. This helped to convince her even more to pursue a career in college admissions, eventually leading to a master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education from  Indiana University of Pennsylvania after graduating from Waynesburg.

Nearly 15 years later, advocating for students– putting them first and helping them make good academic and life decisions– is still what gets Pruzinsky out of bed in the morning. In her new role as SPIRE’s Director of College Planning & Placement, she thoroughly enjoys helping each SPIRE student athlete navigate the college admissions process, or– in some cases– select an alternate route such as the military or vocational school. “Every student is an individual,” she says, “So I try to meet each one where they are and provide them with whatever support they need in the way they will be most responsive to it.”

Pruzinsky, who grew up in Northeastern Ohio and attended Riverside High School, says she was attracted to SPIRE immediately for the excellence of its staff and facilities, as well as its potential for growth in the coming years. “For me, SPIRE is the best of both worlds,” she says. “It’s location here in Northeastern Ohio is ideal, and it has the ability to draw excellent student athletes from all over the world. I’m excited to be a part of that growth.”