[00:00:00 - 00:01:06] Yes, people want to know how Vegas is, but it wasn't just the students. It was the instructors, the nuns, and everybody. So, make this experience one that you in 20 years can come back and sit down and talk about. Hello, Blue Jays, and welcome to the nest, stories about life after Manor College. I am your host, Kelly Peiffer, vice president of marketing communications, and this is the best part of my day. My hope is that this podcast will encourage, inform, and inspire you, making you feel like at

[00:00:36 - 00:01:42] Manor College you belong here always. Before we get to today's guest, it is time for a segment of the show I like to call did you know? Where we will share some fun facts about Manor College that you may or may not know. Did you know that Mayor College is expanding and renovating its dental health center thanks to local share account grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. A grant is for $600,000. The funding will help add new dental stations and modern equipment, allowing

[00:01:09 - 00:02:14] the college to serve more than 1300 community patients each year with high quality dental care at roughly half the cost of a private practice. Founded in 1979 and later transformed into a teaching facility in 1995, the dental health center plays a dual role providing essential low cost care especially for seniors and uninsured neighbors while training the next generation of dental hygienists. Dr. Jonathan Peri, Manor College president, said that the project will have a meaningful and lasting impact in

[00:01:41 - 00:02:42] the community surrounding the college. We are proud to serve so many of our neighbors and provide more high quality, low cost dental care for years to come. Today's episode is sponsored by Manor College. We believe you deserve an education that feels like home. We offer associate and bachelor degrees in high demand fields like business, psychology, and practical nursing. Our small class size means that your professors know much more than just your name. You get the personalized attention you need and

[00:02:12 - 00:03:16] to truly thrive. Discover a supportive environment just outside of Philadelphia where success is built one student at a time. It's more than just a college. It's a community. Ready to find your place? Visit manor.edu today to explore your options and see why you belong here at Manor College. That's manor.edu. You belong here. Our guest today is a powerhouse leader in higher education who proves that the foundation you build early can take you anywhere. Originally hailing from the bright lights of Las

[00:02:44 - 00:03:49] Vegas where she attended Shadow Ridge High School, she traveled across the country to join the community here at Manor College. During her time there, she was a true force on campus, not just in the classroom as a liberal arts major, but on the field and on the court as a dual athlete for both our women's soccer and basketball teams. She credits much of her early growth to the mentorship figures like Miss Anne Kiczula, Frank Ferrell, and Coach Robert Reeves. After earning her associates degree in 2008, she took that momentum

[00:03:16 - 00:04:22] back west, eventually graduating from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Today she has come full circle in the world of academia. Currently serving as the campus president at Unitech Training Academy for the Baton Rouge campus where she uses her experience to lead the next generation of students towards her own success. Please welcome to the show Britni Smith. Hi Britni. >> Hi. >> Thanks for joining us today. It's such an honor to talk to you. >> No problem. Thanks for the invite.

[00:03:49 - 00:05:08] >> So take us back Britni. How did you first hear about Manor College and why did you ultimately choose to attend? >> So, I was a late recruit for basketball surprisingly and I had a trainer in Vegas and he asked me where I wanted to go and I was like, I want to go back east and we found a school in Maine and my mom was like, that's way too far. So, I was like, well, we have family in Philadelphia. So I told my trainer Philadelphia it was between Manor and Chester chestnut I don't remember it starts with

[00:04:28 - 00:05:45] a C and so I I was talking to coach Rob very often and something happened with the other institution and I called Coach Rob and I asked him like is there still a position for me to come and play basketball cuz I really wanted to play and he made it happen and I was there in September of 2026. So, >> all right. >> Wow. I'm glad I'm glad you came. So, basketball was really the like driving force to get you to to to come to Manor. Um, so what was your experience like as a student? Obviously, as a student

[00:05:07 - 00:06:10] athlete, managing and balancing school work and practice and kind of doing all those things together. What was it like for you? >> It was a fun time. I had some really good teammates my freshman and sophomore year, but they made it very easy. They I was the only one that really wasn't from the Philly area, so everybody sort of kind of took me under their wing as their little sister. Coach Rob was very influential. It was a good time. It was We were all our first quote unquote first time away

[00:05:38 - 00:06:47] from home. So, we all stayed in the dorm. Everybody went home on the weekends. So, I was one of the few that stayed in the dorms on the weekends or I went home with my teammate slash roommate slash now best friend Millie. So, it was a fun time. I enjoyed it. The instructors always called me, everybody called me Vegas actually when I was there. So, that was a talking point. So, it made the two years go by very fast while I was there. It was a nice little family away from family. >> Yeah. Oh, that's so funny. Um yeah, a

[00:06:12 - 00:07:10] lot of our student athletes today still um stay in live in the residence hall in St. Joseph at Hall and that's a pretty common thing to do, I would say. Um >> the weekends. Yes. >> Mhm. And yeah, go home on the weekends or go home with friends and things like that. So that's definitely still pretty true to our our residents life now. But you also played soccer at Manor. Was that something that you planned on doing or was that something that you just >> Oh, I was fast. I was literally just

[00:06:41 - 00:07:48] fast. And the coach was coach Campbell. So, they needed some soccer players and a couple of us basketball players went and played soccer. So, our goalie was a soccer player. I mean, a basketball player, Morgan, who was on the basketball team. She was like midfield. It was a couple of us. It was four of us. And Appalonia was on there, too. I think Appalonia was on there. I could be wrong, but yeah. Oh, that's cool. That's so cool. So, that's so funny that h how was it different like culturally being

[00:07:15 - 00:08:13] like from West Coast now into Philly? Did you have any like culture shock of things that they're like, "Oh, I didn't realize this was this was how Philly is or were you kind of expecting that?" >> A little bit. So, I do have family that lives in Philly. So in my younger years, we would come and visit my grandmother's side of the family. But it had been an extended amount of time since I came. And I think one of the one of the first things that was a cultural shock for me

[00:07:44 - 00:08:40] was they didn't have cars. So everybody rode the train, the No, not the train, the bus, and the sub. And I had never did any of that. So we were I was like, "So where's everybody's car at?" And they're like, "We don't have cars." And I was like, "Oh, so then how do you get around?" And they're like, "We ride the bus." So one of the times we got on the bus and I saw everybody swiping something. So I took out took out my debit card and I swiped my debit card

[00:08:12 - 00:09:15] like another and they were like definitely not what you do. And there was there's a bus pass and I was like, "I don't know about these things, you guys." So the bus driver thought it was funny and they let me ride for free. But that was pretty much when it came to the cultural shock. Um, the food is always good there. So, and I'm I mean from Vegas, you get a a variety of food places. So, that was pretty much the same. But little things that made me miss home, but it also made me

[00:08:43 - 00:09:41] appreciative to learn how, you know, how others have grown up in their backgrounds. >> Yeah. Oh, that's funny about you swiping your debit card and not being a bus pass, right? No one no one told you. How would you know? >> No. And I think that was the first time I rode the city bus. So, and I told every I was like, "The only bus I ride is the yellow one to school and from home." >> I was like, "I haven't done that in years because >> I got a car." And

[00:09:13 - 00:10:02] >> they're like, "So, you had a car?" I'm like, "Yeah, everybody had a car. You guys didn't have a car getting to school?" And they're like, "No." I was like, "Oh, >> no. They take the bus." Yep. They take like the the city bus to school sometimes. >> So fun. Millie holds that over my head still to this day every now and then. >> Oh, that's great. Yeah. So, it sounds like you um you made some friends during your time at Manor that you still

[00:09:37 - 00:10:43] >> are friends today. K. Tell us more about that. >> So, we were sort of kind of a tight-knit group in college and then we sort of kind of, you know, expanded, but obviously we expanded. We all went elsewhere, but there's a couple that I still keep in contact with. Millie's son was actually in my wedding a couple of years ago. He was our ring bearer. So, I'm the closest to Millie. I talked to Coach Rob several times throughout the year. We have, let's see, I keep in contact with Tash. She was on

[00:10:10 - 00:11:13] the basketball team. Brandon, he was a phenomenal basketball player when we were in Manor. some of the guys from the from the basketball team you keep in contact with, see how their families are growing and how they're, you know, going through life. So, it's always a good time to catch up. And then a couple of years after I left, we used to have alumni basketball games. I don't know if they have them now, but I definitely will not come to Philly to play basketball now. I haven't picked up a ball in years, but

[00:10:41 - 00:11:36] that's how a lot of us kept in contact. we would all make sure that we would all go back up to Philly for the alumni game. >> Yeah, that's awesome. That's good though. It's good to stay in touch with people and for weddings and, you know, new new children and families and all that stuff. That's so cool to see. That's one of my favorite parts about um higher education and just college. You know, obviously you get a degree and and it prepares you for a career, but it

[00:11:08 - 00:12:08] also gives you those friendships that you really can't get anywhere else >> I've ever had in life starting at Manor. Like I still have friends from high school and elementary and middle school, but some of the ones that have truly stuck with me are the ones that I started at Manor Campus. >> Right. Like if you can make it as a friend living in like a very small room together for a few years, that's good foundational, you know, friendship right there, you're going to be okay. You can

[00:11:39 - 00:12:32] make it through other stuff. >> Yes. Um Millie offered me oodles and noodles. As soon as my mom got into the car to drive off, I was about to cry. Yeah. >> And she was like, "Do you want some oodles and noodles?" And I was like, "What is that?" And she was like, "Ooodles and noodles." I was like, "I don't know what that is." And she was like, "Come on, Vegas. I'mma show you." And so when it was a pack of ramen, I was like, "Oh, you should have

[00:12:05 - 00:13:11] just said ramen." Yes, I I do want some ramen. >> Oh, that's a good friend right there. So, um, tell us a little bit more about what you're currently your role is at Unitech Training Academy and what exactly is Unitech Training Academy because I do think it might be might have some similarities to um, us here at Manor. >> So, Unitech Training Academy is a career ready college. So, we can get students in the career field between 6 to 12 months. We do have certification

[00:12:38 - 00:13:51] programs. So at my particular campus we have massage therapy, EKG, phlebotomy, medical assistant, pharmacy technician, dental assisting, and did I say massage therapy? I think I did. >> So it's five five programs and it's pretty much for anybody as long as you have graduated high school or received your GED. We know that sometimes the two-year institution or the four-year institution isn't for everybody and sometimes people need to just come in, get those skills, and get right into the

[00:13:14 - 00:14:32] working field. And we do get to offer that to our Baton Rouge community. We actually have six campuses in Louisiana all around. Um, if you're not from Louisiana, just know that we are located in like Alexandria, West Monroe, Lafayette. We have an online division. So that's for anybody regardless of location and New Orleans. And then what do I do? I do the operations piece of the campus. So I am the campus president. So the staff jokes and says it's like the principal's office and

[00:13:53 - 00:15:00] we do have some similarities but pretty much I do operations here for the campus. Um, everybody is falls under my leadership. I genuinely have a heart to make sure that the student has a great experience here and they're able to transfer those skills out into the community. So, I honestly love what I do. I love to see the students start and finish and grow in that Manor and then get to see them out in the community when we are doing community events or even when I'm going to my doctor's

[00:14:27 - 00:15:27] office. Uh, one of our alumni actually works at my daughter's pediatrician's office. So, it's great to see her once a year just to see that she's still in the field. >> Yeah, that's awesome. That's so cool. So, it sounds like um, you know, Manor, we have we have two-year programs, we now have four-year programs, we have we have dental assisting, dental hygiene. Um, we just started a practical nursing program. So we have a mix of some career ready programs but also you know

[00:14:57 - 00:16:03] traditional business and psychology, computer science and those kind of things. But but you Britni you started as a liberal arts major right? >> I did. I did. >> Tell tell us about that. What made you want to study liberal arts and how have you felt like that degree has kind of helped you um kind of navigate your own career? >> So for the longest time I really wanted to go into psychology. I've loved psychology. I took psych AP in high school and I had one I had two amazing

[00:15:29 - 00:16:55] instructors, Coach Denham and Mr. Ael. And they sort of kind of got me ready for undergrad in for psych. And how I got to this side of the campus is I can't even explain it because after I got my undergrad degree in psychology, I full-fledged went into athletics and I got my masters into sport administration. So if you would have asked me like 6 years ago, would I be on this side of the campus? No. Cuz I loved athletics. I love the operations of athletics. But somebody offered me a position to come on the we call it the

[00:16:13 - 00:17:21] other side of campus when you leave athletics and I've absolutely loved it. Um it has grown me. It has shaped me. It has shown me where I need to grow and I I I love to see the students and be influential in their journey. >> Yeah, I can I can see that. You can tell in the way that you talk about it that it means a lot to you and it's something that you don't take for granted. You know, you really those students journeys are very important to you and that's really cool to hear.

[00:16:46 - 00:17:56] >> Yes. I do have a question. Is the dental hygienist are they still in the dorms? >> Yeah. Yeah. The dental health center actually, it's funny you brought that up. The dental health center is still in the it's in the basement of St. Joseph Hall where the res hall is, but we just received a very large grant >> um which is is really phenomenal. It's um over half a million dollars from the PA Department of Community Economic Development and it's to help create a a

[00:17:22 - 00:18:15] stronger modern, you know, different equipment, updated equipment in dental health center. >> We had a couple of friends that went through the program. So, >> yeah, >> congratulations on that. I'm happy to hear that. >> Yeah, it's exciting. You know, the dental health center has been around since 1979. Okay. >> Um, and it became a teaching facility in like the mid90s, I think 95. So, it has always been like this dual purpose. Like part of it is like truly a dental health

[00:17:48 - 00:18:47] center where anyone can walk in off the street if they're uninsured and they can get a cleaning. Um, but also it's a teaching facility. So it is for our students to practice and train to become a dental hygienist or a dental assistant. So um having updated equipment in there is going to be really um just really game changing for us because it is outdated and it will help us be more efficient, help us serve more people, help our students work on equipment that they're probably going to

[00:18:18 - 00:19:22] then be using later on in the field. So we are really grateful for that. >> Congratulations. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's exciting. So, I want to talk to you a little bit about some of the mentors that you mentioned um who were influential. Obviously, you talked about coach coach Rob Reeves >> um but also Miss Anne Kiczula and Mr. Frank Ferrell. I want to share with you about Miss Anne real quick. Miss Anne um she we just celebrated this past December her 70th year working at the college,

[00:18:50 - 00:19:55] >> right? and that was really special for us to do and she was she was really honored and we did a few special things around the holidays for that. So she's been with the college since 1955. Okay. >> Um longer than most people's lifetimes. It's pretty pretty amazing. And then Frank Ferrell. So, like how now that you're on the other side of the desk as a president, like how do you try to replicate that type of mentorship that you got to students or um colleagues that you interact with?

[00:19:22 - 00:20:34] >> So, let's start with Miss Anne. First, I owe Miss An apology. I forgot to put my card in the mail. So, I'm sorry, Miss Anne. And I was supposed to send her pictures from the wedding. I'm sorry, Miss Anne. Oh, make sure you get those items. But Miss Anne was a true gym at the college. I she I want to say she worked switchboard when I was there and she would always greet us, always ask us about our day, always wish us luck for whatever sporting event that we had. But she she went out of her way to make sure

[00:19:57 - 00:21:14] that we knew that she she knew our names. She kept up with us even since we've been gone. If you call Manor and you hear Miss Anne, she can identify you by your voice. So, she still calls me Vegas if I have to call for a transcript, which I did a couple of years ago. So, with that being said, it makes you feel like you're not just a number, but you're a person. And even almost 20 years later, wow. Um, she still remembers you, and I am appreciative of that. Now, for Mr. Frank. Frank was one of my instructors.

[00:20:36 - 00:21:50] I do apologize. I do not remember what he taught, but we definitely enjoyed his class. And then we became friends on Facebook and he checks in with us, you know, says happy birthday. He's very responsive when you um when you reach out. So when it comes to those moments that lets you know that you weren't just a student in his class, like he truly cared and is happy to see where we're growing in life almost 20 years later. So it's always a good thing. >> Yeah. Yeah. They're they're both um

[00:21:13 - 00:22:19] great great people and um you know my my office is pretty close to Anne's front desk counter area. So I I hear her often say to students um you know she checks in with them. She asks them how was your test or what do you got going on? And >> definitely we actually had her on the show. She was our first episode of the the season here in 2026. and you know and someone who um I've had the pleasure to be very close to her over I've worked at Manor since 2012 so it's been been a

[00:21:47 - 00:22:46] while but like it wasn't until we sat down on a podcast together and I asked her I said an like why do you always make coffee cuz she always has coffee on her counter in a big percolator and she makes a batch in the morning and a batch in the afternoon and I said like why do you always make coffee like why not just get a cure egg why not you know what I and she goes, "Well, I make coffee so people will come and they'll talk to me and they'll slow down and they'll have a conversation with me so I can get to

[00:22:16 - 00:23:16] know them more." And just like hearing that was like, "Oh my gosh, this woman is is the best." You know, >> she's the sweetest. She truly is a gem and she makes Manor College what it is. exemplifies Manor College. So, I'm forever grateful for, you know, just her saying hi and talking and talking to me. And then throughout the years when we do call back, sometimes I have called just to talk to her and be like, "Hey, Miss Anne." And she still calls me Vegas. And

[00:22:46 - 00:23:43] that's where we are. So, I probably need to call her and say hello. >> Yeah, she she would love it. She would love to hear from you if and when you get the time. Um, so Britni, I like asking I like asking this question all of our guests, but what's like um something about your your job and your career that's like a myth that you want to debunk? Something that people assume that you do or that you spend all your time doing and you're like, that's really not true. What's something that

[00:23:14 - 00:24:23] we can kind of myth bust a little bit? >> As a campus president, my office is not the principal's office. It it genuinely isn't. I am here to help you to your next step through whatever avenue that has to be. And you don't have to be scared to come in here. So, I think that's that's pretty much the myth. But the students and the staff know that I I like to have a good time. Sometimes we might have music playing in the hallway and my favorite genre of music is '90s R&B. And if we

[00:23:49 - 00:25:03] have that playing, you are gonna see me do a twostep, sing the song, especially the adlibs. And it it's nice to know that it's nice for people to know that you're just as human as they are. Regardless of your title, your title is something that is between 8 to five, but outside of that, you are still authentic in you. And I want everybody to know that. Like I I'm a goofball. I'm a sports head. I love to laugh. I love to have fun. I love to get to know you for you. And I would like for people to get

[00:24:26 - 00:25:39] to know me for me. >> I love that. That's great. That's really, really good, good myth busting right there. >> So, as we kind of wrap up our show today, what advice do you have for Manor students who are currently in their their journey in their experience? Um, as someone who's lived it, been there, done it. What advice would you give them? >> My advice for a Manor student would be to just flourish. You know, get to know somebody that doesn't sit at the table with you. Um, one of my

[00:25:02 - 00:26:07] one of my best memories is just actually saying hi and talking to people. Like, yes, people want to know how Vegas is, but it wasn't just the students. It was the instructors, the nuns, and everybody. So, make this experience one that you in 20 years can come back and sit down and talk about and and help the next generation of Manor students. >> Yeah. And Manor's a great place for that. Like Manor is small. It's personal. You can find new people to talk to. You don't have to stay in your

[00:25:35 - 00:26:40] bubble. You know, there's always new faces in the cafeteria, the gym, or anywhere. That's really good advice and I hope students um who are tuning in will will take that to heart because it really it takes some perspective to see that it will have an impact later on in your life. >> I agree. Um just coming from where I from the west coast to the east coast, you have to be fairly open and know that they're not people are going to say the same words that you say just a little bit different. So just being open and

[00:26:07 - 00:27:09] welcoming. It was it was a fun time. It was a great time. It was a learning time. And I I'd do it all over again minus the oodles and noodles. I don't think I would want to to as much as I had to while I >> live on live on ramen again. Right. >> Yes. I wouldn't do that. >> Well, Britni, it's been such an honor to talk to you. I I truly love talking to our alumni and hearing their stories because every time I talk to an alumni, everyone's story is different, but

[00:26:38 - 00:27:43] there's always so many similarities I hear story after story um of feeling like they belong at Manor, feeling that Manor nurtured them and and gave them a foundation to um to learn and to grow. And I I hear that through your story as well. And and also I just want to say thank you for being like a living embodiment of our mission. You know, our mission is to prepare students to serve society effectively and compassionately and and you're doing that. So, thank you so much for being like a walking,

[00:27:11 - 00:28:12] living, breathing testament to what we do here at the college. It's really it means a lot to us and um we just can't thank you enough. >> Well, thank you so much. I hope you guys have a great day and it's always great to be a Manor alumni. >> Thank you for tuning in today. If you like what you heard, listen and subscribe on Spotify or YouTube. Stay up to date with all new episodes by following Manor College on Instagram at Manor College. And that's a wrap on another episode of The Nest Stories

[00:27:41 - 00:27:53] about life after Manor College. Remember Blue Jays, you belong here always.