In a room full of 150 student leaders at the National Conference on Student Life, junior-year Khalyn J listened to national expert, Odell Bizzell speak and felt a conviction she couldn’t ignore—a pull so strong that she knew she had to pitch herself before the moment passed. When she approached him after his talk, Odell listened intently, handed her a book he and his mentor had written early in his career, and told her, “You will be the same person five years from now with the exception of two things—the people you meet and the books you read.” That single conversation didn’t just spark a mentorship—it sparked a sponsorship that reshaped her trajectory. Odell began placing her in rooms with leaders like ESPN’s Jay Harris and helping her build what would become The Student Success Network (TSSN), where she mentors students to network intentionally, cultivate their gifts, and climb the ladder sooner rather than later.