Jimmy Franklin: A Mind for Mentorship
By Miranda Koewler
Third year marketing major Jimmy Franklin shares his passion for giving back to the community by mentoring students looking for guidance.
Miranda: What are you studying and why?
Jimmy: I’m a marketing major. After coming into Ohio State with a creative background, I wanted to study something with both an analytical and creative side. My creative background came from doing theater and choir, which is where I found my passion for mentorship. I’ve continued singing in college by taking voice lessons for non-music majors.
What are you involved with on campus and in the Columbus community?
I’m the membership development chair of my social fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, and the vice president of pledge education for my business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi. I’m also a peer advisor for Fisher College of Business where I have the privilege of teaching 130 students in their first-year survey class.
Lastly, I’m the director of the Courageous Leaders Program for first semester freshmen. This program provides scholarships and helps first-year students learn what they want to do in their time at Ohio State.
What are three words to describe you?
First, I would say empathetic. I’m always trying to be aware of the people around me in my community and how I can best support them. You need to focus on the little things in life. The smallest, simplest acts of love are the most important. Second is upbeat. I try to find a balance of seriousness and fun and bring energy into any situation where it’s needed. Third has to be zesty. I have an appreciation for life and taking it all in. I find different reasons to appreciate everything around me.
How did you first discover your passion for mentorship?
During my freshman year of high school, there was a senior who invested a lot in me. I felt like I was all on my own sophomore year, and I realized I wanted to invest in underclassmen like someone had done for me. At college I was looking for a mentor but realized I could look to myself for guidance. I began to reach out to freshmen so that I could create that mentorship relationship with them. Every single thing I’m involved in now ties into that idea of mentorship.
You applied and were accepted into 12 universities — what made Ohio State stand out?
Every month, I wanted to go to a different school. I had a closet full of college sweatshirts. After weighing the pros and cons of all of them, I kept finding reasons why the other schools were not right for me. I could not find a reason to say no to Ohio State. I booked a tour date on a whim and have been forever grateful to my campus ambassador for persuading me to come here.
How have you been impacted by having such a wide range of experiences at Ohio State?
All of my experiences have been with such different and dynamic organizations, but everything I’ve done reflects my passion for impacting and giving back to my community. You may not be able to change the whole world, but you can change someone else’s world.
What advice would you give to younger or incoming Ohio State students?
The biggest concern of my freshmen year was that everyone had their life together, and that I was the only one that didn’t. After applying for organizations and not getting in, I began to question if I wasn’t good enough. I realized that there isn’t time to do everything at Ohio State, but there is time to meet so many great people. I encourage everyone to get involved in a diverse range of communities and experiences during their time at Ohio State.
