2019-20 Mentor Profiles with Homestay Available
View all: Mentor Profiles
Business/Sales Youth/Education Government
Health Care/Medical Services Law/Criminal Justice Social Services/Non-Profit
Business
Amber Walling, 2004
English Major
Church of Saint Joseph
St. Joseph, MN
Business Administrator
Homestay available
This experience will allow you to get a taste for work in a parish setting. You will have the opportunity to see day-to-day tasks completed in my role, observe meetings with parish councils, explore relationship building with parishioners and interview other members of the parish staff. See how a small group of employees coordinates a volunteer work-force to create a vibrant parish community!
Joe Effertz, 1999
Global Business Leadership/Management
Black Forest
Owatonna, MN
President
Homestay available
Students would be exposed to all aspects of a medium sized business and its 45 employees. From Manufacturing, Accounting, Distribution, Sales/Marketing, HR, you would be able to witness the value of a liberal arts education to critical think through issues and draw upon the breadth of the CSB/SJU education. Black Forest is a corporate recognition jewelry manufacturing and providing of a wide range of employee recognition programs.
Tom Gottwalt, 1982
Accounting
TCF Financial Corp.
Minnetonka, MN
Director of Tax
Homestay available
Shadowing a senior finance leader, students will get a sense of various aspects of business involved in a publicly traded regional bank. Witness liberal arts skills I leverage, including: reading technical documents with discernment, writing to inform and persuade, and presenting to educate, inform and win approvals. I enjoy working at the intersection of business, economics, and taxation and am constantly using my interpersonal and networking skills to accomplish various objectives and save my company tax dollars.
Gary Harala, 2019
Economics
US Bank
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Financial Analyst
Homestay available
Through this shadowing experience, a student will get to experience the day to day life of a Financial Analyst at a Fortune 500 Company, U.S. Bank. During the experience, I hope to provide a platform where a student can observe projects, meet with team members, listen in on meetings, and ask questions!
Ellie Hinrichs, 2018
Communication
Target Corporation
Minneapolis, MN
Executive Team Leader
Homestay available
By shadowing the life of an Executive Team Lead you will get to explore the fast paced, guest centric retailer currently dominating retail market share. At Target, you are a true business owner and you will get to experience and utilize your talents to make the best decisions for everyday and long-term operations. We will coach and lead a team of 50 consultants through daily tasks while understanding the financial, operational and visual elements of the store.
Jason Hirsch, 2001
Business/Management
Church and Dwight
Minneapolis, MN
Vice President Sales
Homestay available
Shadowing a senior sales leader, students will get a sense of various aspects of business involved in a publicly traded company in driving the day to day business and strategy. From working with other internal leaders to the sales team to customers, I am constantly using my interpersonal and networking skills to accomplish various objectives both internally and externally.
Scott Kohls, 1988
Economics
US Bank
Minneapolis, MN
Sr. Vice President, Credit Risk Management
Homestay available
Credit Risk Management determines the risk appetite for the bank. Our internal business line partners may propose changes to underwriting or account management thresholds, but Credit Risk provides guidance or recommendations before granting the final approvals. If you would like to explore how a bank determines who gets approved (or declined) for loans, or how banks manage losses, this externship is for you.
Kayla Ruikkie, 2007
Management
RITALKA, Inc.
Montevideo, MN / Plymouth, MN
Legal Counsel
Homestay available
Learn the ins and outs of a group of family-owned businesses from multiple perspectives. The companies include a corporate holding company, a large equipment manufacturing and engineering company, and an electronics company. You will have an opportunity to shadow and learn from a number of executives (legal counsel, CFO, Operations VP, Presidents, etc…) across all the companies in an effort to give you as broad an experience as possible.
Megan Russell, 2018
Communication
Canteen One
Golden Valley, MN
National Accounts Coordinator
Homestay available
As a recent graduate myself, I hope you will join me in the exciting world of national account management within the food and hospitality industry. Our time will be spent visiting clients of mine who are Fortune 500 companies around the twin cities, touring our warehouse facility full of new and innovative snacks and beverages, and learning what it's like to manage national contracts in different time zones.
Mike Sidders, 1987
Management
Lakeshirts – Blue 84
Detroit Lakes, MN
Head of Marketing
Homestay available
Visit a manufacturing gem – a $100 million dollar resort and collegiate apparel manufacturer known for incredible artwork and the best garments in the industry (in fact, if your favorite tee or hoodie is something you picked up on vacation or in the bookstore, odds are good it's one of ours). You'll be exposed to the company soup to nuts, from senior leadership to the production floor, with an emphasis on marketing and creative. You’ll also get a chance to see first hand one of the most incredible business cultures you will encounter in your professional life. Come see why we say “Life’s Better in a T-shirt!”
Sabrina Schultz, 2017
Global Business Leadership
ADP
Bloomington, Minnesota
Major Accounts District Manager
Homestay available
Students will have the opportunity to learn what it’s like to work for a Fortune 500 company in sales. They will have the opportunity to go out on sales calls, see my day to day activities, interview multiple people in higher positions and the opportunity to leverage my connections to meet other business professionals in the Minneapolis area.
Rob Spiczka, 2013
Communication, Spanish/Hispanic Studies
Polaris Industries
Medina, MN
Dealer Sales Manager
Homestay available
Join me for a chance to dive head first into the PowerSports industry learn the ins and outs from both an OEM Manufacturer and Dealership lens. I will tailor the experience to the student to ensure they are able to understand how to leverage a Liberal Arts degree in a corporate and channel environment.
Youth/Education
Mary Gondringer, 2014
Education/El Ed. English
Upsala Area Schools
Upsala, MN
English Teacher
Homestay available
Students will have the opportunity to learn how a liberal arts degree will positively affect their future by joining me in my English classroom and learning about the variety aspects of the English major. Their experience will be driven by what they, as a current student and future professional, want and need to learn.
Joel Loecken, 1990
History
St. Thomas Academy
Mendota Heights, MN
Teacher
Homestay available
I would like to provide an experience in which you can explore two things — pastoral ministry and religious education! Network with my connections in youth ministry, as well as explore the joys of teaching in a Catholic junior high and high school.
Government
Bree Allen, 2010
Communication
Nicollet County Health and Human Services
St. Peter, MN
Public Health Manager
Homestay available
Experience the varied and rewarding roles and responsibilities of a local public health department from disease prevention and control to emergency preparedness. See how your liberal arts education can prepare you for a fulfilling career working upstream to keep communities healthy.
Frida Alvarez, 2017
Peace Studies
State of Minnesota
Saint Paul, MN
Diversity Recruiter/Equal Opportunity Officer
Homestay available
Join me to learn what it’s like to work for a State agency. As a compliance officer and recruiter, every day is different.
Anne Kilzer, 1997
Accounting
Association of Minnesota Counties - Hennepin County
Minneapolis, MN
Assistant Director of Workforce Development
Homestay available
Interested in a career in public service? Come explore the wide variety of opportunities within Minnesota's largest county. As both an employer and a service provider, Hennepin County is on the forefront of implementing creative strategies around diversity and inclusion, resident prosperity and community partnerships. Lines of business within the County include everything from accounting to zoning... so no matter your background and interests we'll introduce you to elected officials and leaders who are responsible for ensuring public resources are invested in the most strategic ways possible.
Health Care/Medical Services
Megan Laraway, 2019
Communication
UnitedHealth Group
Minnetonka, MN
Medicare & Retirement Telesales Agent
Homestay available
Students will have the opportunity to see inside how one small division of a HUGE corporation can lead to a major business success. Follow me to UnitedHealthcare to see how a Medicare & Retirement Telesales Portfolio agent tackles a day on the job and how the different corporations of UHC, Optum and UHG come together to make healthcare smart, savvy and intellectual.
Megan Sneddon, 2012
Management
Sanford Health
Fargo, ND
HR Representative/Recruiter
Homestay available
Sanford Health is a progressively growing healthcare system! This job shadow experience will offer a glimpse to Human Resources and talent acquisition including working with hiring leaders, full cycle recruitment, engaging potential candidates in job opportunities, and customer service. If you are interested in management, human resources, marketing, communication, healthcare, etc., this mentorship will provide a unique, professional experience for your growth and development.
Caroline Wolden, 2009
Psychology
Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital
St. Louis Park, MN
Emergency Room RN
Homestay available
I work in a busy, often unpredictable emergency department. While I am an RN, I spend my days working alongside doctors, other nurses, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, EMTs, phlebotomy/lab, health unit coordinators, and registration. If you’re interested in healthcare, can handle a fast-paced unpredictable environment, and want to see how a bunch of medical disciplines work alongside one another, this is an awesome opportunity. In addition to shadowing, there will be opportunity to meet with management, the training coordinator, and the trauma coordinator if you’re interested!
Law/Criminal Justice
Tom Brever, 1975
Humanities
Foster & Brever, PLLC
St. Anthony, MN
Partner
Homestay available
I would have the student follow throughout the day. This will involve meetings; phone conferences, and sometimes court. They will experience the real life of a lawyer.
Social Services/Non-Profit
Val Jones, 1994
French Studies
College of Saint Benedict
St. Joseph, MN
Executive Director of Alumnae Relations
Homestay available
Looking through a liberal arts lens, a job shadow experience with me will offer insight and opportunity to explore volunteer management, project management, and fundraising in the nonprofit sector generally, and the higher education sector specifically. Mentorship will offer a strengths-based approach to your talents and skills as well as an emphasis on making the case for how those talents and skills are transferable to all the different jobs and work you’ll do throughout your life.
Sarah Ober, 2015
Communication
Children’s Cancer Research Fund
Edina, MN
Senior Events Coordinator
Homestay available
Children's Cancer Research Fund is a nonprofit organization based in Edina that funds groundbreaking research at the University of Minnesota and around the country. We have four Bennies on staff who are eager to welcome you and teach you about our work in various departments including events, marketing and donor relations/development - all centered around fundraising. Depending on your goals, our fellow team members would be more than happy to sit down with you and share more about their career path and work as well.
Kenny Turck, 1989
Psychology
Crow River Family Services, LLC
Willmar, MN
CEO/President
Homestay available
Learn about resiliency informed practice utilizing experiential exercises in youth development and children’s mental health. DIRT GROUP is a resiliency informed children’s mental health application based in social and emotional learning in the context of a gardening, farming, foods, and creative arts project. Beyond the trauma, applied theory and neuroscience in practice.
Maddy Zinken, 2019
Communication
Pathways 4 Youth
Saint Cloud, MN
Community Engagement Coordinator
Homestay available
Did you know that on any given night, over 100 youth are experiencing homelessness in the Saint Cloud area? Students will gain a new perspective of the non-profit industry by networking with area leaders during public speaking events, attending high-level event opportunities, and learn how to be a spokesperson for your organizations’ mission. Pathways 4 Youth’s mission is to create a world in which all youth will feel safe, valued, and supported while reaching their full potential. If you would like to explore how nonprofits in our area operate, how to network and gain support from area leaders, and how to use your liberal arts education in different/new ways, this externship is for you.