Worker bee doesn’t even begin to cover it; not when referring to Elizabethtown College’s own Irene Snyder.
Snyder is in her junior year, and double majors in mass communication and sociology/anthropology. She is a residence assistant, a student lab assistant, a tutor for Learning Services and a social media office assistant in the Center for Community and Civic Engagement. In addition to her involvement in these organizations, she is a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and the Society for Collegiate Journalists. All of which could leave most people breathless.
When choosing her major, Snyder decided on fields that would allow her to use her love and talent for writing to benefit others. Her dream job lies in news reporting, where she can talk to a wide range of people, hear their stories and bring awareness to important social issues. But above all, her goal is to serve.
I think what really keeps me going is the thought that I have the opportunity to serve others…”
Snyder said that, while she cannot choose a favorite on-campus organization, one of her favorite experiences was working as the assistant news director for ECTV-40, the College’s TV station. She got the opportunity to put her dream in action when she produced a news package about the toy drive she organized to benefit youth who are battling cancer, and she interviewed the founder of The Carter Bowman Foundation, a children’s charity organization.
While the work she does on campus is tiring at times, Snyder said it’s all worthwhile in the end. So far in her college career, she has been awarded the College’s sophomore-Distinguished Student Award and the Leader on the Horizon Award. She also was honored with Communications Awards for her first and sophomore years.
In her free time, Snyder enjoys reading and writing, and said her love of writing stems from the fun she had creating stories as a child. Over the years, as music plays a huge role in her personal and family life, she also has sungs in the York County Honors Choir and has taken piano lessons for the past 10 years.
Snyder lives in Lancaster with her parents, her younger brother, three cats and a pug. Her family, she said, is an amazing source of support in her life, and many of her hopes and dreams stem from what they have taught her about faith. She is a member of the Orthodox Christian church and, she said, she uses her faith to guide her day-to-day and in preparing for her life of service.
“I think what really keeps me going is the thought that I have the opportunity to serve others through my work and to hopefully make a difference, no matter how small,” Snyder said.