Today we’d like to introduce you to Spencer Grohovsky.
Hi Spencer; I’m so excited to have you on the platform. Before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story, and how did you get to where you are today?
My journey to joining USCDM began in High School. I attended an all-boys middle and high school in Nashville before coming to Columbia. At MBA, we lived by the motto “Gentleman, Scholar, Athlete”. Gentlemen, being the first word, alludes to service to one’s communities being above all else. Coming to USC, I sought ways to impact the school and greater Columbia communities. My sister, Adele, one of the biggest reasons I chose to come to USC, had always wanted me to do Dance Marathon since she knew I would be a Gamecock. In my first two years, I participated in our Morale Branch, which is the “heartbeat of the organization.” This was perfect for me as it allowed me to exhibit my spirit and passion for DM while learning more about our internal structure. In the first semester of my junior year, I was on our Membership Development staff. Although this role’s main purpose was to accommodate students studying in the second semester, I enjoyed sitting in on a semester of weekly staff meetings. From these meetings and the people I met, I felt a calling for me in DM to take more of a leadership role. While studying abroad, I continued to involve myself in service and community-building through various outlets. I volunteered with my university’s language cafe and worked as an au pair for a neighbor. As a 22-year-old male, I have lots of experience working with children through volunteer work or jobs I’ve held. With that being said, my being on the family branch was meant to be as so much of our job is working with the miracle kids and their families. In my last year with USCDM, I want to leave several legacies, but in my eyes, none are as important as how others remember how I treat people, like family.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Coming to college as an incoming freshman in Fall 2020 was extremely challenging. As you can imagine, we had few chances to socialize with peers as there were covid restrictions. Annual traditions like orientation, the org fair, and welcome week were all moved online. Additionally, I only had a few in-person classes in my first semester. Although I got to know my roommates well during this time, I didn’t have the opportunities to flourish as I had imagined. To summarize this semester, I only left my dorm to work out, eat, and go to weekly Sunday Morale meetings. When I look back on that first semester of college, Sunday Morale meetings helped me transition to college. Although we all wore masks and stood 6 feet apart when prompted, it gave me a space to be myself and meet people who care about a greater cause as I do.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Co-Director of Family Relations:
- I serve on the Board of Directors for the largest student-run philanthropic organization in South Carolina, which has fundraised over $2.3 million for the Miracle families at Prisma Health during the first three years of involvement.
- Direct a 6 person staff with a co-director to host events that include our Miracle families and the greater Columbia community to foster relationships with the Miracle families and to facilitate effective communication to enhance each family’s experience.
IFC VP of Public Relations:
- Oversaw the IFC (Interfraternity Council) Instagram account, serving a community of 22 chapters and 4,000+ members.
- Create programming initiatives to promote and boost the fraternal experience for all 1,500 prospective new members.
- Mentored and guided 22 IFC social media chairs in effective marketing strategies for philanthropic and recruitment efforts.
Other smaller roles:
- Sigma Nu: Ace Chairman, Recorder
- Dance Marathon: Membership Development Committee, Morale Member
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Before graduating High School, I had the word “family” tattooed on my arm as a reminder of how I should treat people for the rest of my life. However, I never could have imagined the impact that the family aspect of Dance Marathon would have on my person. There are alums who I look up to, like older siblings and first-year students, who I try to influence positively every day. This year, my color team captain came and stayed with my family for Thanksgiving.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Grobaby_
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencergro/
Image Credits
*All credits go left to right* BeReal Photo – Marina Uliano Red Team Photo – LC Hyman, Dynesha Wright, Ribecca Sperry, Caroline Egan, LE Shirkey, Zari Richardson, Abby Westbrook, Alexandra Joseph, Jordan Hatcher Every Team Matters shirt – Adele Grohovsky, Carolina Selinger Baby Costume – Will McLemore, Seth Hajzus, Jackson Torbert Family Photo – Tanzy Wallace, Bowen Grohovsky, Bob Grohovsky, Adele Grohovsky Every moment matters – James Marsden, Carson Shea, Logan Desciak
