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PC graduate ranked in top ten interns nationwide
Success follows former student-athlete from the gridiron to the business worldÂ
By: Kelli Krause
Growing up on a small family farm in northern South Dakota, Austin Lake learned the value of hard work and determination early in life. Which is why the recent Presentation College graduate has spent the past four years turning heads with his accomplishments on the gridiron and in the classroom. Now he’s using his education and those same ethics to pave his way to success in the business industry through an internship with Northwestern Mutual.
The former student-athlete was recently recognized by Northwestern Mutual as one of the top ten interns in the nation. In fact, Austin finished seventh among its network of more than 3,300 financial representative interns. Rankings were based upon production throughout Northwestern Mutual’s awards year, which ended May 21. The Gettysburg native has been affiliated with Northwestern Mutual of Aberdeen, S.D. since the spring of 2014.
“To be acknowledged by the company is a huge honor,” said Austin. “As a student at Presentation College and working with the communities of Aberdeen and Gettysburg, there were a ton of opportunities to leave my mark. My goal was always to make the most of them.”
Austin graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and as the first-ever business program graduate to obtain triple minors, which were in finance, agriculture, and management. The Presentation College Business Department recognized him as the Business Student of the Year and Business Student-Athlete of the Year. He was also recognized for his outstanding academic achievement on the Comprehensive Business Exam.
Lake was also a Presentation College Presidential Scholar and two-time member of both the NAIA and NSAA Scholar-Athlete teams. His most rewarding and life-changing experience at Presentation College was being a member of the Saints inaugural football team.
“Austin will always have a special place in PC Saints football history. He was a strong leader on and off the field, as a four-year starter and 4.0 student,” said Andrew Carr, Saints head football coach. “He brought a level of professionalism to the football field, and that clearly shows through in all areas as he transitions to the workplace.”
Interns, like Austin, are one of the reasons why Northwestern Mutual’s program has been consecutively recognized as a top internship opportunity since 1996. It was named the No. 1 internship for students seeking careers in the financial industry and No. 5 overall across all industries by Vault’s Top Ten Internships for 2015.
Lucas Bruns, Financial Advisor and Field Director at Northwestern Mutual, not only served as Austin’s supervisor but is also an alumnus of the Presentation College Business Department. Like Austin, he too was recruited as an intern when he was a Saints student-athlete.
“The business program at Presentation does a great job of preparing students to succeed by offering a real-world experience. Unlike some colleges where business classes have several hundred people, at PC there are around 15 to 25 students per class … and that really mimics the real-world work environment,” said Bruns. “The majority of people work with a small team and the class sizes do a great job preparing students for the teamwork, participation, and comradery it takes to succeed.”
When recruiting interns, Lucas looks for candidates with an exceptional work ethic and a history of demonstrated personal success in leadership, competition, and life. Three Presentation College students have served as interns and now, two have been named as top ten Northwestern Mutual interns.
“Austin is definitely the type of intern we look for; he’s a very determined individual. He came into the internship with a lot of goals but one that stood out above the rest … he wanted to be ranked nationally,” said Bruns. “Within the first three months he was able to accomplish that goal, and we are all very proud of how he was able to step outside of his comfort zone to achieve it.”
Lake enjoyed working for Northwestern Mutual so much that he plans to work for the company in the future. Now that graduation is over, his immediate plan is to continue his education. Ultimately, Austin plans to manage the family farm while working for Northwestern Mutual.
“I’ve always wanted to make a difference and have a job that allows me to help people. Whether I’m working on the farm or as a financial representative, I feel like I am doing that,” said Austin. “I believe in what I am doing with my future and there’s no better feeling than that.”
On July 20, Austin will accept an award for his accomplishment at the Northwestern Mutual College Awards Show in Milwaukee. The event is held annually for all interns, offices and colleges within Northwestern Mutual.
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