Student Ambassadors

Penny Baker Center for Distance Learning B.S., Community and Human Services, psue1959@adelphia.net Hi, my name is Penny Baker and I’m a recent graduate from Empire State College with a Bachelor of Science in Community and Human Services with a concentration in Human Services.  The undergrad courses helped me understand the human service field and how it complies with society’s needs. These courses have only increased my desire to work with children with learning, physical, and/ or emotional disabilities. So now I’m in the process of entering the graduate program at Empire State College in social policy so I can advocate for children with disabilities.  My interest in advocacy and disability issues come from my own chronic illness.  I developed Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 17 which caused me to set aside my education for hospital stays and rehabilitation. In 1989 I entered the Vesid program in hopes to complete my education but found it difficult to adapt to a classroom setting when I was struggling everyday to complete the needed class work and attend all scheduled lectures because of chronic pain and mobility issues.  I concluded that the classroom environment and daily class schedules were not feasible.  In 1999, a friend introduced me to distance learning by handing me an Empire State College brochure. This was a new and frightening role for me and many insecurities surfaced.  But the first encounter with my mentor changed everything.  She built up my self-esteem, tenacity, and endurance to achieve success even when I encountered obstacles.  This is where I feel Empire State College differed from any other college experience I had in the past.  The staff, professors and mentors go out of their way to empower students to perform above and beyond what was required. And their pride in the dedication displayed during each course I took, only encouraged me to push beyond the barriers of an illness to achieve the goal I devised when I applied to Empire State College.  I often became ill and struggled through the course load but found that if I discussed my concerns with my professors, they would encourage me to go on at a slower pace and allow extensions so that the quality of my work did not falter at times when treatments hindered my ability to think, comprehend and develop competent research papers. For many adults, family, work, illness, and other responsibilities take precedence over their education.  So the first step to achieving their goals is to evaluate what they truly want from life. Then they can decide the next step in achieving that goal. I would like to help others take those first steps. I look forward to sharing my thoughts, encouragement, advice, praise and words of wisdom with anyone looking for a college that is flexible and dedicated to all their students. And to all applicants, new, matriculated and graduate students, may you find success in all your educational endeavors. Good Luck to all!

Shaun Smithson Center for Distance Learning B.S., Business, Management and Economics shaun_smithson@choicehotels.com Shaun Smithson is the Senior Director of Opening Services with Choice Hotels International. Shaun joined Choice in early 2006, focusing on portfolio management in the brand strategy department and recently took over the opening team to help direct the company’s unit growth and brand consistency strategies. Smithson comes to Choice Hotels with a diverse hospitality background, most recently as Senior Director, Hotel Performance Support with Hilton Hotels Inc, within the Hilton Garden Inn brand, where he drove brand management and strategy to help build the Hilton Garden Inn brand to 270 properties upon his departure. His focus will be on franchisee retention, product quality and alignment, and portfolio synergies for Choice’s core brands. Prior to his five years with Hilton Hotels, Smithson was with LRA Worldwide, as a consultant within the quality assurance programs for brands such as Sheraton, Hilton and Radisson. Additionally, Smithson brings significant experience managing properties for Holiday Inn Worldwide and Homestead Village, as well as ownership and executive management in restaurants in Atlanta and Orlando. Smithson began his hospitality career with Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL in the chef apprenticeship program, earning his Certified Cook certificate while at Disney. He is a graduate of State University of New York – Empire State College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.