“PULSE has inspired me to expand my horizons for what opportunities are out there.” -Savanna Thompson
Savanna Thompson grew up in State College, Pennsylvania and attended Geneva College where she earned a degree in Public Relations, with a minor in Sociology. At Geneva, she was a student tutor, President of PRSSA, Secretary of Genevans Choir, a mentor for the Freshmen Experience, an Sports Editor for the Cabinet Newspaper, and a Student Leader of the Student Activities Team. Prior to joining PULSE, she served as intern with Geneva’s Sport Information Department and the Greater Wichita YMCA. In her free time, she enjoys music, gardening, and crafting. She is a part of the Northside cohort, and is serving at The Buhl Foundation.
Meera Rajput: What has been the most valuable part of the PULSE experience so far?
Savanna Thompson: The most valuable part of the experience so far is the ability to make connections both with fellows and Pittsburgh in general especially in the non-profit sector.
Meera: How has PULSE inspired you to live/think/act differently?
Savanna: PULSE has inspired me to expand my horizons for what opportunities are out there. Before PULSE, I didn’t have any idea how many directions I could go with my future and now I have opportunities and a strong network to help me get there.
Meera: Tell me something you are learning about yourself through PULSE.
Savanna: I am learning how to express my needs both personally in the house as well as what my needs are from my supervisor and service experience.
Meera: What do you enjoy most about your nonprofit partnership?
Savanna: I really enjoy learning about how an organization runs from the top level atmosphere and what best practices are in action on an organizational level.
Meera: What have you enjoyed most about living in community?
Savanna: I enjoy having people to come home to! I like how quickly I became comfortable with my roommates for me to be able to share my ups and downs of the day with.
Meera: Describe a typical day at your nonprofit partnership.
Savanna: My days normally consist of strategic planning for the communication plan for next year as well as working with coworkers on specific and individual projects.
Meera: What surprised you most about Pittsburgh?
Savanna: I love that Pittsburgh can feel like a small town even though it is a big city.
Meera: What is the most interesting/fun adventure you’ve had in Pittsburgh so far?
Savanna: I have enjoyed exploring different coffee shops and getting to know the different personalities that come through all these different shops throughout the city.
Meera: What’s your favorite “family meal” recipe for the house?
Savanna: I have loved all the chili we’ve made!
Meera: What is the best part of the PULSE experience?
Savanna: The best part of the PULSE experience is getting to spend time in the house I live in and getting to know the people in the house.
Story by PULSE Fellow Meera Rajput.
Read more Fellow Stories about their experience in PULSE. If you would like to learn more about the PULSE program, please visit our Serve with Us page.
Also, check out other Stories of Transformation: