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“Being on an executive board for a volunteer organization with over 300 active members can be a lot of work. But it's worth it when you know you’re making a difference and sharpening your skills for the future.”
Agribusiness Management senior Callan Tigani is a leader of the student-run service organization Spartans Rebuilding Michigan (SRM) — a position that’s given her focus throughout her college career and has established imperative professional skills for life after MSU.
A Livonia native, Tigani joined SRM as a freshman and felt at home in the community of service-oriented Spartans. SRM members volunteer on a monthly basis in the Greater Lansing area at a wide-range of nonprofits and service organizations. Receiving both Volunteer of the Month and Volunteer of the Semester during her first year, Tigani naturally fell into leadership positions with the group.
“I became meeting activity planner my sophomore year,” said Tigani. “That had me reaching out to local organizations to find service opportunities for our members to participate in at our monthly meeting. I’d organize visits to make pet blankets for the humane society, decorate treat boxes for Ele's Place, or write letters for soldiers.”
Around the same time Tigani become secretary on SRM’s executive board, she also found the Agribusiness Management major. “Dale Elsoff helped me make a smooth transition into the program,” Tigani said. “I discovered that ABM was a great route to get into a business-oriented career path while focusing on an industry that deeply affects people and their livelihood.”
Now in her final year at MSU, Tigani notes that SRM gave her the leadership and professional skills she’ll need for her future career. “My position in the group allowed me to improve my ability to work with a team, sharpen my communication skills, and get used to stepping outside of my comfort zone.”
Those skills served Tigani well recently, when a face-to-face conversation with a speaker at a networking event on campus led to a full-time position with Kroger in their Assistant Store Manager Trainee Program.
With her start at Kroger and leadership positions on her mind, Tigani still hopes to include service in her life as much as possible.
“I hope to be able to continue to volunteer and serve whatever community I become a part of after I graduate,” said Tigani. “Service is important to me and I encourage others to find careers that can blend their passions, like I fortunately have.”
