When Rachel Wolsky was a freshman, she lived in Booth Hall, a dorm that didn’t have many other freshman or any orientation leaders.

But even then, Wolsky had a driving spirit and enthusiasm for Syracuse University.

Wolsky went from the eighth floor to the first floor of Booth, knocking on every door, introducing herself and arranging for everyone interested to meet on the first floor and get to know each other.

“Because of that moment, even though there are people who probably still to this day think I’m a weirdo, I made some amazing friends,” Wolsky said. “I just put myself out there, and I think that set the stage for how the next four years went.”

Wolsky, now a senior, has spread her orange spirit as a resident adviser, orientation leader, CitrusTV anchor and member of Otto’s Army during her time at SU.

“I’ve really gotten to pump students up and suck them into the university and make them love it as much as I do, and that’s what I hope for every student here,” Wolsky said.

As a member of Otto’s Army, Wolsky has attended about 50 basketball games, including last year’s Duke home game, which was her favorite.

After camping out for two weeks, Wolsky said she spent 16 hours with Otto’s Army in the Carrier Dome for College GameDay and then watched SU beat Duke during overtime.

“I was sobbing at the end of the game. It was an amazing feeling of ‘I love this school and I love these people,’” Wolsky said. “If that's not the epitome of fandom, I'm not sure what is.”

Wolsky, who is double majoring in broadcast and digital journalism and information management and technology, said SU helped her realize what she wants to do.

Through the School of Information Studies, Wolsky took a trip to Silicon Valley and toured 26 tech companies. There, Wolsky met an SU alumna working in user interface and user experience.

“You interview users of a product, watch them interact with the product and design products based on what’s easiest for them,” Wolsky said. “Communication in the tech industry is important. I’ve discovered that I want to bridge that gap.”

Eliza Lennon, Wolsky’s roommate and close friend, said she is a leader in everything she does. Wolsky is now a teacher’s assistant for an introduction to web design class, and Lennon said her roommate has mentored a lot of students along the way.

“People see her incredible enthusiasm for what she loves, and I think that pushes them to follow their own paths and make decisions in that respect,” said Lennon, a senior broadcast and digital journalism major.

Wolsky said that in her time at SU, she’s led by example to show every student the opportunities SU offers.

“I’m graduating in three weeks but I’m not scared to do so, I’m excited,” Wolsky said. “I wish that every single person who leaves this university has that. If I can set them up to do that, then that’s exactly what I want to do.”

Jonathan Hoster, an undergraduate recruitment specialist in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, said he remembers Wolsky’s enthusiasm for SU and in general.

Hoster and Wolsky met at a leadership camp when she was in high school. At the time, Hoster worked in the Office of Admissions at SU, and he later conducted her admissions interview.

“She definitely bleeds orange,” Hoster said. “It will be exciting to see what she does as an alumna.”

Wolsky said a peak of her college experience happened this year, when she hosted Home to the Dome as an orientation leader. Looking at the freshmen in front of her, she remembered attending Home to the Dome herself and seeing the enthusiastic orientation leaders for the first time.

“I was like, ‘Who are these people at the front of the Dome yelling at me about these cheers? I want to be them,’” Wolsky recalled.

As a senior, Wolsky came full circle, welcoming the freshman class, getting them pumped up for the next four years and introducing them to what she called “the giant orange family” that is SU.

“There’s a spirit about SU, it’s a vibe, this orange warmth,” Wolsky said. “It sucks you in, and once you're in you're not getting out. It got me the day I stepped on campus and it’s stuck with me since.”