Ask a Seawolf Spring 2025

April 10, 2025

7.51k

Words of wisdom from our Seawolves community.

What’s the best advice you ever received?

“‘You don’t always have to talk.’ This advice transformed me into a conscious listener, leading me to discover far more about people and ideas than I ever expected.”

— Mitch Trinka, Digital Media Manager, University Advancement

“Treat people the way you want to be treated. Always be happy and respectful and never have a negative attitude toward others.”

— Judith Faiella, East Side Dining Cashier

“When starting a project, don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.”

— Andrew C. Singer, Dean, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences

“My dad, without the opportunity of formal education himself, told me, ‘Be ready and be open to learning at unexpected locations and from unexpected teachers.’ I enjoy learning every day.”

— Mei Lin (Ete) Chan, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering

“‘Eat an elephant one bite at a time,’ which reminds me that when tackling an overwhelming project, to break it down into smaller, more manageable steps.”

— Christina Geraci ’04, Principal Court Attorney, NYS Unified Court System

“Carry yourself with confidence. Former SBU band director Shayna Stahl taught me to walk into every situation with my head held high, even in times of uncertainty. Not only does it empower you to do your best, it inspires others to do the same.”

— Jaclyn Hand (Lattanza) ’15, MBA ’16

“My mother told me, ‘If you’re ever in a rush, do it slowly. I realized that when I rushed, I would often forget something. By taking my time, I was able to think through each step, which helped me become more successful.”

— Nidia Zapata, Campus Bus Driver

“I have a T-shirt from my kids’ former school that says, ‘In a world where you can be anything, be kind.’ Can you imagine how much better the world would be if people followed that simple piece of advice?”

— David Wrobel, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

“Do it scared. Submitting an application or taking an audition may be scary, but you have to take a chance and ‘do it scared’ to achieve your dreams.”

— Nicole Peters, Doctor of Musical Arts, Flute Performance

“Keep an open mind for any people you meet, especially people from other countries and cultures. Life is a learning journey.”

— Eddie Reiter, East Side Dining Cook

“My high school cross country coach would say. ‘If you are on time, you are late.’ I have taken this into the rest of my life by showing up early and being prepared for class and interviews so I can put my best foot forward.”

— Mary Calandra, Materials Science and Chemical Engineering student

“Write every day, even if it’s just for 30 minutes. By the end of the week or month, the time adds up, and it keeps your mind engaged with your project.”

— Celia Marshik, Dean, Graduate School; Vice Provost for Graduate Education

“Every opportunity is a chance to figure out what interests you and what doesn’t.”

— Margaret Echelbarger, Assistant Professor, Marketing, College of Business

“Don’t fear failure — embrace it as a chance to learn, grow and improve. This advice has given me the courage to do things I might not have done otherwise.”

— Janet Hyunju Clarke, Associate Dean, Research and Learning, University Libraries

“When things get overwhelming, write a to-do list and keep track of all the little things you accomplished in a day.”

— Paolo Celli, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering

“A former coach shared a G.K. Nielsen quote once with me that says, ‘Successful people are not often gifted; they just WORK HARD, then succeed on purpose.’”

— Lauren Candela, MBA ’12, Director of Communications, Finance and Administration

“I was once advised to trust people that I delegated work to. Sink or swim, they would find their own way as I had, and would be better for it.”

— Ron Garrett, Access Control/Alarm Administrator, Enterprise Risk Management