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Karli Spera Hometown: Waterford, Conn. Major: Communication WCSU Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Communication Internships: Summer co-op internship with NSI. They are an IT company but the internship was with their communications and marketing department. Activities: Member of WCSU Women's Basketball team |
Honors and Awards: Dean's List all semesters, Sodexo scolarship, Scholar athlete
Karli Spera says she chose to attend WCSU for two primary reasons: its atmosphere and athletics. "I think that both campuses have a very welcoming feeling to them," she says. "They make you feel like you are in a college setting, which I loved. I was also a member of the women's basketball team and when I came to the school, I fell in love with the team, the coaches, and the arena itself."
Spera says she chose to study communication "because it is an open field. There are many options that I can pursue with a communication degree. I also loved the professors that are in the department and they made me want to study this field further."
Spera says she found two mentors while at Western: Associate Registrar Jennifer Zdziarski and Women's Basketball Coach Kim Rybczyk. "Ever since I was a freshman, I would go to Jen with any questions that I had about classes or school in general," Spera says. "She helped me pick the right classes every year, as well as help me pick the major that was right for me. I knew I could go to her for any questions that I had and it was great to have someone that I knew would be always be willing to help me." Spera continued, "From the moment I stepped on campus, Coach Rybczyk was not only a coach to me but a mentor as well. I knew that coach was always going to be there for me no matter what and help me whenever I needed her. She helped mold me into the person I am today. She made sure I had success not only on the court, but also off the court and I can't thank her enough for that."
Asked what she will remember most about her WCSU experience, Spera says, "Winning the LEC championship my junior year. We also won my senior year; however, my junior year was the first time and I will never forget that feeling. I will never forget the crowd and the support that we got or the team that I was surrounded by. It was an amazing atmosphere to play in and I will never forget it.”
After graduation, Spera hopes to find a job and "come back to grad school in the near future."
Spera’s advice to new students entering WCSU is: “Get involved in something. Whether it is a sport, a club, or Greek life — just get involved. It makes the college experience a lot easier and more fun to have a group of people who you know are on your side and you know will be with you through everything.”
