Meet the Good News Bears
Meet the Good News Bears
Kyla Fargo
Hometown: Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Major: Business management and art (minor in entrepreneurship)
Year: Junior
Campus Activities: Volunteer for ONU Recycles (I started a recycling program in my hall!), Relay For Life, active in entrepreneurship on campus, tutoring
How long have you been a Good News Bear?
Two years
What's your favorite part of being a Good News Bear?
My favorite part about being a Good News Bear is meeting all the new incoming students and seeing how excited they are to be coming to Northern.
What's the coolest thing about Northern?
The coolest thing about Northern is how dedicated the professors are to helping students and listening to ideas we have.
Ellen Keough
Hometown: Howell, Mich.
Major: Sport management and public relations
Year: Senior
Campus Activities: Public Relations Student Society of America, Vision Communications, Human Performance and Sports Science Club, Phi Epsilon Kappa Honorary, Lambda Pi Eta Honorary, Sports Information, writer for The Northern Review, intramural athletics, Habitat for Humanity, Good News Bears, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, First Year Experience Mentor/Advisee.
How long have you been a Good News Bear?
Two years
What’s your favorite part of being a Good News Bear?
I love being able to promote this outstanding university. ONU prepares students to be exceptional professionals through high-quality education and hands-on learning experience in one of the greatest environments in the area. Northern is a one-of-a-kind university, and I love having the opportunity to get incoming freshman excited and passionate about ONU and the great experience they are going to have.
What’s the coolest thing about Northern?
I think the coolest thing about Northern is the “big enough to challenge, but small enough to care” feel the university has. Through the faculty, curriculum and organizations, ONU offers just as many, if not more, opportunities and challenges than a larger university can offer. Faculty and staff truly care about the students and do all they can to help everyone succeed.
Kelly Link
Hometown: Fort Recovery, Ohio
Major: Nursing
Year: Senior
Campus Activities: National Student Nurses Association, Alpha Xi Delta-Social Sorority (alum), Bear Ambassador, Good News Bear, Intramural volleyball, basketball and mud volleyball.
How long have you been a Good News Bear?
I’ve been a Good News Bear for two years.
What’s your favorite part of being a Good News Bear?
I love to interact with both the students and their families and help them out any way I can. I like the incoming students to have a sense of calm when coming to orientation and make them feel welcome, at home.
What’s the coolest thing about Northern?
I love that we have three black swans on campus and that we have a pond in the shape of an actual polar bear that we can only swim in once a year, after mud volleyball!
Jay Meyers
Hometown: Leipsic, Ohio
Major: Political Science/Pre-law
Year: Junior
Campus Activities: Sigma Phi Epsilon, Student Senate, President's Club, Leaders' Council, College Republicans, Cheerleading, Intramural Sports
How long have you been a Good News Bear?
This is my second year.
What’s your favorite part of being a Good News Bear?
Hanging out with and getting to know the new students the night before orientation.
What’s the coolest thing about Northern?
The mini carnival at the Homecoming football game.
Allan Muzilla
Hometown: Wadsworth, Ohio
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Year: Junior
Campus Activities: Greek Life, Club Rugby. ASME, SAE
How long have you been a Good News Bear?
First year
What’s your favorite part of being a Good News Bear?
Meeting all of the incoming freshman and getting to know them.
What’s the coolest thing about Northern?
Being able to see people you know every time you walk around campus.
Alyssa Reiter
Hometown: Fostoria, Ohio
Major: Exercise Physiology
Year: Junior
Campus Activities: Varsity Track athlete; Occasional Habitat for Humanity work days; member of PT/OT club; Vice president of SAAC; PR officer of Human Performance and Sports Science Club; Heterick Memorial Library student library assistant; Overnight hostess for admissions; member of Phi Epsilon Kappa.
How long have you been a Good News Bear?
This is my first year.
What’s your favorite part of being a Good News Bear?
Being able to assist a future Polar Bear into the family and seeing their faces when they get the real answers to questions they thought they knew.
What’s the coolest thing about Northern?
The family-like atmosphere, and the campus layout.
Victoria Secrist
Hometown: Bellefontaine, Ohio
Major: Music Education
Year: Junior
Campus Activities: I am involved in Residence Life as an RA; Alpha Lambda Delta; The UNIT (Women’s Bible Study on campus); University Singers; and Women’s Chorus.
How long have you been a Good News Bear?
This is my first year as a Good News Bear.
What’s your favorite part of being a Good News Bear?
My favorite part of being a Good News Bear is being able to meet the new students and help them get accustomed to their future home at ONU.
What’s the coolest thing about Northern?
Other than the initial feeling that Northern just fits, the coolest thing about being here is the care and attention given to each individual by the professors while still making students feel like they are part of something big. I love it here!
Shana Tachikawa
Hometown: Bucyrus, Ohio
Major: Journalism
Year: Junior
Campus Activities: Zeta Tau Alpha Historian; Panhellenic Council VP of public relations; ONU summer camp coordinator; Northern Yearbook copy editor; Northern Review life and culture editor; Mortar Board; Order of Omega; President's Club; Sigma Tau Delta English Honorary; Student Paths (quarterly publication aimed towards encouraging high school students to attend college); freelance writer.
How long have you been a Good News Bear?
This is my first year as a Good News Bear, and it's definitely something I'd like to continue in years to follow.
What's your favorite part of being a Good News Bear?
As a Good News Bear, I have the opportunity to reach out to my future peers. When new students arrive on campus for orientation, they are often nervous, anxious and even scared. I love seeing their initial nerves transition into smiles as the day progresses and they meet and mingle with their classmates and Good News Bears. To this day, I remember the Good News Bears that I met at my own freshman orientation, and I hope to have a similar impact on the individuals I meet.
What's the coolest thing about Northern?
The friendly atmosphere of campus stands as my favorite aspect of Northern. Though it sounds a bit cheesy, at any point throughout the day, I know that I can walk across campus and see friends, faculty and peers with sincere greetings. This makes my walk to class much better on any bad day.
Gabriel Washington
Hometown: Lorain, Ohio
Major: Pharmacy
Year: P-5
Campus Activities: ONU Christian Pharmacist's Fellowship International; ONU Black Student Union; O.N.U. Black Student Union Black History Committee; ONU Student National Pharmaceutical Association, treasurer; ONU Fellowship of Christian Athletes; ONU Good News Bears
How long have you been a Good News Bear?
Since summer 2007
What's your favorite part of being a Good News Bear?
Meeting the new students and working alongside the other Good News Bears. Being able to pass along some advice that can ease the new students' transition into college life here at Northern. Answering student and parents questions about Northern and putting them at ease about there future here at ONU. Good News Bears is a great way to network and meet people throughout the campus community.
What's the coolest thing about Northern?
The push that is made to bring to bring big impressive/notable people (comedians, speakers, hypnotists, and various shows, etc.) onto campus to bring another dynamic to campus throughout the year. Also, the passion that the students, faculty and staff all have here truly makes Northern unique.
