Double majoring in international business and corporate finance, along with minors in Spanish and accounting, sophomore Abby Snow takes student involvement and goal setting to completely new levels.
Apart from taking five to six classes a semester, Snow takes on multiple responsibilities in addition to her school work. This includes being a Student Business Leader (SBL), Honors College Ambassador and a member of the business fraternity, Beta Alpha Psi.
As a SBL, Snow works as what she describes to be “a liaison between the students and the faculty of the business school.” She highlights that their main duties take place during advising season, such as consulting freshmen and transfer students. They help them understand where their transfer grades go, what classes they need to take to stay on the right path, as well as answer any questions they might have about the Perdue School of Business.
Snow also donates her time and knowledge to her peers as a Supplemental Instructor for Accounting 201.
“I sit in on a particular class and then for about an hour and a half after class twice a week I take the material that was learned in class and give examples to other students so they can apply it,” Snow said. “This includes practice problems, homework problems, and any other questions or concerns the students have with a particular lesson.”
As a member of Salisbury’s chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, Snow works to better her community while also gaining valuable knowledge and networks in the business world.
“We have meetings twice a week and we are required to get thirty-two volunteer hours throughout the year,” Snow said. “And then on the professional side of the fraternity it’s more of going to interviews and having professionals come and speak to us, giving us a chance to network with them.”
Snow is no stranger to multitasking as she has taken on the challenge of juggling multiple jobs in her home life as well.
“Aside from my jobs within the university, I also want to get a restaurant job because at home I had a waitressing job, I was a cashier at a bakery and I also worked at an office,” she said. “So, at home I overload myself with responsibility and I’ve kind of started to do that here as well.”
In her advice to other students who want to take on more responsibilities, Snow reveals her key to success is time management.
“Staying organized and keeping a planner helps me to keep things in check and reduce stress,” she said “I really like to plan and I like to check things off.”
Aside from the plethora of time Snow gives to her peers and the university, she likes to spend her free time writing. What she explained to have started out as “just a hobby” has grown to be another occupation, for Snow is in the works of having her first novel published.
Snow’s idea for what is soon to be her first published novel was born when she was just 14 years old.
“When I was younger, I wanted to be an author; that was my big dream,” Snow said. “But I wanted to write full length novels, not just short stories … and at fourteen I just started writing.”
But just because the idea of being an author seemed farfetched at the time, it did not stop Snow from pursuing it.
“It was a fourteen-year-old invention, and I’m nineteen now so I have kind of manipulated it and it’s been a five-year work-in-progress,” Snow said. “The storyline has definitely changed a lot.”
Snow gives a synopsis of her book, Resubmerged, stating, “It is a young adult fantasy. It’s about a girl who is fifteen and she’s from this realm called Dunchoria.”
She described Dunchoria as being similar to the fantastical world of Narnia in the element that there are portals back and forth. She explained that the main character, Rose, must go on the run from the government because her power of being able to manipulate others’ feelings makes her a wanted target.
Making her dream of becoming a published author a reality was not an easy process, but Snow was determined and willing to do the research and work necessary to make it happen.
“Most authors have agents, and so I submitted the first 20 pages of my story and gave a synopsis of it to multiple prospective agents,” Snow said. “Of course, I don’t have connections so it’s a lot harder to get someone to believe in the success of my book, so I didn’t end up getting one and I got frustrated, and I decided to self-publish.”
After conducting some research on the self-publishing process, Snow ended up making an account on a self-publishing website. She now has her own website that she runs, which will allow her to put Resubmerged on Amazon and in book stores like Barnes & Noble by May of 2018.
Snow’s biggest advice to achieving success is to always push yourself to the best of your abilities.
“If you over apply yourself you can learn how to handle it,” she said. “Don’t stretch yourself too thin, but if you don’t think you’re going to get that job, still apply for it. Don’t let the fear of failure stop you from going after your goals.”
Snow plans to study abroad in Spain next semester, and hopes to do an internship to further explore her inclination for business this summer. She aspires to one day be CFO of a company, as well as have several books published.
Following graduation, Snow hopes to land a job in the financial department of a business with international branches so she can travel — particularly to Spanish speaking countries.
By CAROLINE STREETT
Staff writer
Featured photo: Mariann Snow image.