Thank you to Bob Snelling ’54 for participating in this Q&A.
Why did you join Kappa Sig over other fraternities?
I liked the young men there. Walt Conti became my mentor and I still think the world of him. There were servicemen back from Korea getting an education they never could have afforded on the GI bill, and most all at KS they were working hard to do their very best and make the most of the opportunity they had.
What song(s) best defines your college experience?
Oh my, so many… how about ‘Salvation Army’?
How did Kappa Sig help make you into the man you are today?
I was away from home for the first time in my life, 18 years old, and they made sure we stayed on the straight and narrow.
Tell us about a brother who was a mentor or went beyond the call of duty to help you.
I already did; Walt Conti… so solid, strong and supportive- already a man.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received, and from whom?
It was from my parents who believed that you can’t lead if you don’t read; who instilled in me a love of books and of learning. I read a big thick book, The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, when I was 17 and the sequel, Atlas Shrugged (another 500 pager), in 1957 when I was working 80 hour+ weeks to build a business; and they are just examples of the hundreds of books I read.
What’s your greatest personal challenge to date and how did you overcome it?
It was an ongoing challenge of dealing with governments, both state and federal who tried continually to put you out of business and, failing that, restrict your business so much that it was hard to make a profit. But that’s nothing new- it’s still going on today.
What role does leadership play in a man’s life?
You have to be the lead dog or the view never changes. Leadership allows you to help others, to make changes, to mentor others, to make money to invest in other businesses and to be able to give to good causes. And it’s a heck of a lot of fun.
If you were walking onto the Penn State campus as a young freshman, what advice would you give to the younger you?
To follow your dream; don’t have one dictated to you by your loving, caring, parents. In my work I saw so many young people who had graduated in a field that they had no interest in based on advice from well-meaning parents, teachers and counselors.
Reconnect with Bob at [email protected].