Plattsburgh State junior and international student majoring in marketing, international business and business administration Smit Pujara loves playing the brotherly role.
Pujara is from Ahmedabad, India and well-known for all the connections with people on campus.
“My greatest accomplishment is positively impacting students and being a great role model,” Pujara said. “I became an RA because I care about people.”
Pujara also said he always stresses self care positivity and helps people.
Pujara opened up about how his upbringing in India made him question his self image upon his arrival to America.
He said he first learned to love himself when he questioned his beliefs from India.
“In India we have a need for brighter skin,” Pujara said. “When I saw the white people here I felt insecure.”
Now when Pujara looks in the mirror, he can say he loves his skin and himself. He is proud of who he is and where he is from. As a Resident Assistant (RA), Pujara tries to help as many people as he can with problems they may face.
Steven Vedder, the residence director of Macdonough hall and PSUC graduate student in the student affairs and higher education program, said he has known Pujara for three years as his resident, friend and now co-worker. Vedder talked about how Pujara cares for people. He also said how he often depends on Pujara to help him with work or lightening his load by solving a problem for him.
“He’s always asking me what he could do to help,” he said. “He would drop everything he’s doing to help someone and he brings out the best in people.”
Vedder called Pujara hard-working and involved. He said students should be hard-working and preserve like Pujara.
Michelle Ouellette, a public relations professor mentioned that Pujara was a connecter. She worked with him on the “I am an Ally” campaign, a student-led effort focused on tackling discrimination and unifying the faculty, students on PSUC’s campus and people within the community.
“Pujara was a real champion of the cause,” Michelle said.
Michelle also called Pujara a person who people can be themselves around, which helped the campaign a lot. Michelle said students should strive to have the genuine enthusiasm like Pujara because he uses it to motivate people and be there for others.
She said everyone loved Pujara because of his positive energy. He assisted with hanging flyers up downtown with students and connecting with others passionate about the campaign.
Pujara’s motto is,“Take care of yourself, love yourself because all we got is us.”
Email Daneane Johnson at cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
