H.A. Coach: DOUG PROBST
High School: ROSWELL (GA)
College: LAgrange college & ERSKINE COLLEGE
what is your GREATEST takeaway frOM YOUR HANDSHAKE AMERICA EXPERIENCE?
That you can have people care about and mentor you, that you can trust outside of your family, in a genuine way.
WHERE ARE YOU NOW?
I am a going to be a graduate assistant for Men’s Basketball at Western Carolina University while pursuing my masters degree.
what DO YOU ENJOYING DOING IN YOUR FREE TIME?
I like to play pickup basketball, now that I am done playing in college. I also enjoy hanging out with my puppy and my friends, and I love watching about every sport you can think of.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE “P”?
Definitely Perseverance!
Vaanika Jindal
cENTRAL oHIO CLASS of 2022
H.A. Coaches: Cam Murphy, Kerri Rathburn, Ervan Rodgers
High School: columbus academy
College: the ohio state university
mAJOR: Business studying Finance and Data Analytics
what is your GREATEST takeaway frOM YOUR HANDSHAKE AMERICA EXPERIENCE?
A true leader continuously strives for self-improvement. This entails actively enhancing all of the 5 P's whether that be growing your network, nurturing a positive mindset, improving your presence of mind and body, pursuing your passions, or overcoming even the most formidable obstacles. Appreciating how far you have come while always pushing to be better is one of my greatest takeaways from the program.
WHERE ARE YOU NOW?
I am a freshman at The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business studying Finance and Data Analytics in the Honors Program.
what DO YOU ENJOYING DOING IN YOUR FREE TIME?
I love to travel and play golf with my friends and family!
Justin Akindele
cENTRAL oHIO iNAUGURAL CLASS of 2012
H.A. Coach: doug probsT
High School: gAHANNA LINCOLN
College: uNIV. OF CINCINNATI
mAJOR: sPORTS aDMINISTRATION
MINOR: mARKETING
CURRENTLY: sALES REPRESENTATIVE @ TEAM FITZ GRAPHICS in Cincinnati, OH
what is your GREATEST takeaway frOM YOUR HANDSHAKE AMERICA EXPERIENCE?
My greatest takeaway from the program would have to be networking. The program gave me an opportunity early on to get comfortable with networking with different types of people. Experience that I would not have received without the program. Having that experience from the program made networking in college, and eventually my career, easier and more smooth. Networking is such an essential skill, and being able to get that experience from Handshake America has been invaluable.
what advice do you have for our current student-athletes in the program?
My advice for any current student-athlete in the program is to take everything in with an open mind. Just like your sports coaches, your Handshake America coaches are here to help you reach whatever goals you may have. Listen to them. You may not like everything they saying to you now. But just like your coach for your sport, they are telling you something for a reason, and promise it will come back up later on as you progress in life.
what DO YOU ENJOYING DOING IN YOUR FREE TIME?
My favorite thing to do for fun is watching sports. Sometimes live, but mostly on TV. Football is better on the couch and you won’t tell me otherwise. I am also a competitive powerlifter. I really enjoy going to the gym and getting better each and every day.