Name: Savannah Silliman
Age: 22
Title/Company or main life pursuit: Box Office and Marketing Coordinator at the Reilly Arts Center
What is your word and why did you choose it? Grace. I have always looked up to people who carry themselves with grace as I believe it is a characteristic of great leaders. Grace has a certain simplicity about it, yet it has so many meanings such as being polite, respectful and diplomatic, all which I highly value.
What aspirations do you have for yourself in the next 40 years? Within the next 40 years I hope to have grown into a person I am proud of. I hope to continue my career in the public relations and advertising field, but also work in several different industries. I chose this major for the diversity of jobs and career opportunities and I’d like to dabble with what’s out there.
Favorite way to give back to the community? I love doing random acts of kindness no matter where I am, but especially here in my hometown. My mom taught me that you never know when someone needs a little positivity in their life, and even a small act can have a huge impact.
What do you love and/or hate about the Ocala area? I love the arts community in Ocala. Since I started at the Reilly, I have been introduced to such a wonderful group of people who have the same passion for the arts as I do. The amount of support they show each other, whether it’s attending each other’s events or collaborating on projects, is truly beautiful.
A few albums and movies you’d bring to a deserted island? The albums 
I could never leave behind would be Adele 25, Glass Animals How To Be A Human Being and of course U2 All That You Can’t Leave Behind. Movies are difficult to choose, but I think I would have to bring “Gladiator,” “Hostiles” and “About Time.”
You never leave home without: This may be a very basic answer, but my phone is glued to me 24/7.
If you could tell your 16-year-old self one thing: Time really does fly, so if you want to do something, just do it! Stop finding reasons to put things off and focus on living in the moment.
Anything else you’re super passionate about that you’d like to tout: The Ocala chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association really helped me get my footing here after graduating from UCF. They welcomed me with open arms, helped me find my current job and introduced me to a number of amazing local organizations here in Ocala. I now serve on the board as Hospitality chair and come this fall I will be their new treasurer.
