UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Many Penn State students feel everything from first-time jitters to been-here-a-while pressure when they’re on campus, and one adviser in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications has a creative way to help them cope.

Students who enter Nikki DiOrio’s office in Carnegie Building immediately see a large plastic crate of Play-Doh packs, playfully stacked and available for use to calm the shakiest nerves. After her son’s fifth-grade class introduced fidget spinners and Silly Putty to calm students, sparks flew in DiOrio’s mind.

“Students are dealing with a lot of stress,” DiOrio said. “When they come in to see us, they are often concerned about something.”

And for DiOrio, the easiest solution to that stress was the solution her son’s teachers had. After thinking about "the most germ-friendly” ways to approach things, she decided to buy mini-Play-Doh packs in bulk to share with her students — each of whom may use and then take the Play-Doh they use when visiting her office.

A Penn State alumna herself, DiOrio, who earned a bachelor’s degree in finance in 2001, understands what it means to have a bit of anxiety, especially when it pertains to college and courseloads. She’s all too familiar with the stresses of planning one's future after college, too.

“I had the full Penn State experience,” DiOrio said. Like many students, it took her some time to find a healthy balance between her studies and social life. She even had the experiences of retaking a class and rethinking her major.

Now, DiOrio is adamant that it was the exact path she needed to take to get where she is today. That understanding helps her serve students in more ways than one.

Her love and desire to push and foster growth in the people have helped her become a strong role model. DiOrio likes to remind students, “It’s OK … you can do this!” Whether they flounder or succeed, they’ll end up exactly where they need to be, she said.

Sometimes, though, pushing through requires a little less stress, and a calm, clear-eyed assessment of options. For students who meet with DiOrio, that’s where the Play-Doh fits.

Busy hands can help to clear someone’s mind, and that helps open the lines of communication — and that’s when DiOrio can really make an impact, and students can find success.