An undergraduate student is starting the new academic year off with an accomplishment that benefits the entire NSU community—the opening of NSU’s new Shark Shop in the Don Taft University Spine.
Sarah Personelli, junior marketing major, had the idea for the Shark Shop as part of her vision project within the Razor’s Edge Leadership Development Program in the winter 2015 semester. The project worked with the Delta class of Razor’s Edge to identify the changes they want to see at NSU and how they can implement those changes for the betterment of the university.
Upon correspondence with Marc Crocquet, vice president for business services, Personelli discovered a plan was already in the works for the store. Because of her passion and excitement to see the vision fulfilled, Personelli was asked to join NSU Bookstore Manager Amanda Cartas in planning the grand opening.
Personelli said the most exciting part about her vision is that she gets to see the finished product.
“The store is super cute,” she said. “I already know people who bought merchandise and are wearing their new stuff around campus.”
NSU officially opened the store on Aug. 17, but the grand opening won’t be until later in the semester. The store sells NSU t-shirts, hoodies, lanyards, key chains and more. Cartas said that they plan on adding new merchandise and products often to keep up with events and holidays. Shark Shop will not replace the NSU Bookstore, it is just an extension.
“We plan to change up the products often to keep it fresh,” she said. “The Shark Shop is an extension of the bookstore, so we’re able to move product back and forth often to offer more variety.”
Cartas said, “I look forward to working with Sarah and helping her get her vision for the Shark Shop. Student feedback is really important to us.”
Students cannot use their declining balance to purchase items. However, Cartas said that her team is currently working with Card Services to integrate the Shark Bucks service into the Shark Shop system. Shark Bucks are preloaded funds put onto students’ Shark Cards. Shark Bucks can be used at the NSU Bookstore and Shark Shop to purchase textbooks, apparel and supplies. Until the system is officially in place at Shark Shop, students can use cash, credit cards or Barnes & Noble gift cards to pay for items.
The store is a collaborative project between NSU’s Office of Business Service and Barnes & Noble College. Crocquet devised the plan as a result of student feedback from NSU President George Hanbury’s Town Hall Meetings. Students requested to have a store on the main campus and Cartas said that the most beneficial aspect of the addition is the sense of Shark pride.
“The University Center is the heart of our beautiful campus—there’s no better place for us to be,” she said. “We’re a proud school and students want to be able to show that pride off.”
Personelli said that one ofthe reasons students don’t wear a lot of NSU gear is because the bookstore isn’t in convenient location, which prevented people from buying merchandise.
“Everyone wants to increase school spirit by having a football team, but I think we could increase school spirit just by wearing NSU gear,” she said. “The prices are extremely reasonable and the clothing is awesome.”
Shark Shop is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will also remain open for select special events, including graduation, Sharkapalooza and sporting events.
