We have truly enjoyed watching Tyler Cronk blossom as a student at Cazenovia College where he majors in animation and illustration. It has been inspiring to see how Tyler’s positive attitude and willingness to persevere in the face of challenging circumstances has allowed him to succeed in and beyond the classroom. Troy Bielert, Tyler’s Community Supports Supervisor, sat down with Tyler to find out what strategies and advice he could offer to those considering college.

Were you nervous about going to college? I was nervous just like anyone else. I spent a lot of time by myself in high school. I have a speech impediment and was nervous about how people would treat me - about the socializing part. I had lost my father six months prior to starting my freshman year and attending a college two hours away, where I didn’t know anyone, was a big transition for me. I saw it as a learning opportunity.

What are some strategies that have helped you to be successful?
Always try to be a nice person and be yourself. Try to be confident, advocate for yourself, and ask for help if you need it. I will email my professors and ask questions if I don’t understand something. Time management is also important. I will plan accordingly and I won’t go grab pizza with my friends, if I have a big project coming up.

What advice would you give to people thinking about going away to college? Don’t be afraid to try something new. If it doesn’t work out it’s OK. Try to get involved and make friends. You may discover you like something that you never thought you would. I was persuaded to go to a club and activities fair. I didn’t think I would actually join any clubs, but I ended up joining several.

What clubs are you involved in at school? Currently I am Vice President of the Theatre Appreciation Club, a member of the Cazenovia Improv group and part of the Campus Activities Board (CAB). I am the comedy chair at CAB so I choose the comedians who perform at college comedy nights, and introduce them before the show. It is great experience working with the comedians and I sometimes ask them for advice on comedy, another interest of mine.

What are your hopes for the future? Long term, I hope to work for an animation company and eventually move to California. I would also enjoy getting involved in voice acting, which is the voice behind the animation. Currently I am working on my own cartoon series for my portfolio, which kept me busy this past summer.

We were thrilled that Tyler took time out of his busy schedule to meet with us for the interview; he truly has a great outlook on life. We look forward to hearing about his successes in the future.

- Troy Bielert, Community Supports Supervisor