Company Culture Attracts Talented Huskies to Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual has been providing their clients comprehensive financial planning for 160 years. And even though their partnership with BU isn’t quite that old, the consistently positive experience ensures that it will remain long into the future.
“I’m happy to be at work every day,” said Paul Vizza, Internship Director for Northwestern Mutual. “[They] provide the perfect combination of opportunity and culture to grow a career. [They] invest so much in opportunities for growth, have great corporate values and a sense of responsibility to the community.”
Vizza says that such a great company culture attracts talent, so Northwestern Mutual often has the pick of every graduating class, and many of those picks are Huskies. The firm looks for financial skills, of course, but they also look for self-motivation, grit, communication, and time management skills.
“Are you someone who can overcome adversity and have a little bit of entrepreneurial spirit,” said Vizza. “Are you coachable? We look for things like clubs, part-time jobs, anything beyond the classroom; a full-time track record of success.”
All qualities that Huskies tend to possess.
Vizza also explained the Huskies that they hire often come through their highly ranked internship program. Vizza describes the internship program as realistic – a scaled-down full-time position combined with a full slate of coaching and training.
“By the time you leave, we want you to leave with ten times the knowledge than when you came on board, regardless of whether or not you stay with us,” explained Vizza. “An internship like that required a student who is self-motivated.”
Such a partnership ensures the success of all involved.
“Bloom students are outgoing, realistic and hand’s on,” said Vizza. “They’re not afraid to try something new, and we appreciate that the learning curve isn’t as steep with them. They are always professional and have great communication skills.”
“We like to invest the most amount of time and resources in schools where we see successful students,” concluded Vizza. “Blooms has a great track record of success and is one of our top schools.”
Bob Braun's high school counselor recommended Bloomsburg State College because she thought he would be a good teacher. But the truth was that the '85 BU alum, and current Airmatic Sales Director, had no idea what he wanted to do or who he wanted to be. And he wouldn't for quite some time.
"Why she thought that I don't know," recalled Braun. "I wanted to get into business to make money, but doing what, I had no idea."
Even before it was called Bloomsburg University, the Business and Accounting programs on campus had a solid reputation. Braun enrolled and took the advice of his orientation leaders to get involved. He was accepted as an RA his sophomore year, joined a fraternity in his junior year, and largely credits these and other campus experiences for helping him grow into a confident adult. Still, something seemed to be missing.
"I found myself at Bloomsburg," explained Braun. "I can remember being so happy that a lifelong dream had come true [at graduation], but what am I going to do now? I felt prepared but empty."
Braun found his first position as a merchandise manager trainee through an ad in the classifieds with the toy retail giant, Toys R Us. For those who remember Christmas of 1985, Braun had the historic experience of maintaining and protecting the store's inventory of Cabbage Patch dolls.
"It was a circus," laughed Braun. "It was like we were guarding piles of gold at Fort Knox."
Braun gained valuable experience from the position but said the idea of working holidays and weekends became less appealing. He moved on as a systems representative for ABC Payroll, an early precursor to ADP, where he used computer code parameters and subroutines to create a payroll system for clients. His path forked again when he met the woman who is now his wife and was assigned the payroll contract for Iron Workers Union Local 401. Braun was familiar with the organization through his family history and felt compelled to leave the business world and serve an apprenticeship to become a journeyman ironworker.
"I had always been awestruck by the dangerous and difficult nature of ironworking," explained Braun. "My father, grandfather, and uncles had all been ironworkers."
A work injury six years later forced Braun to rethink his career again. After recovering from a severe back injury, he returned to his Business degree as an entry-level salesperson at Airmatic, a small industrial distribution company in Philadelphia.
"As I learned the industry, I had to catch up for lost time," explained Braun. "I had this degree from Bloomsburg, but I had lost that trail."
Even as he gained experience and life became more manageable, Braun still had that empty feeling. He became reacquainted with his alma mater after helping a student in his fraternity obtain an internship at Airmatic. That student became a permanent hire after graduation, and Braun has hosted three more Husky interns since that time. He has since become more involved on campus through the ZIPD Conference, Husky Student Leadership Summit, virtual alumni panels, sales and marketing advisory board and the BU Professional Sales Competition.
"A mentor told me at Airmatic that volunteering gets you out of your comfort zone," recalled Braun. "It's like therapy when you're volunteering and trying to help others do well."
Braun says that he's never had a bad experience in his efforts to help current students on their career journey. In fact, he says volunteering has alleviated the emptiness he once felt. Now, Braun stresses to students the importance of taking advantage of alumni interactions and connections that he wishes he had when he was a student. He helps students evaluate what they know, what they enjoy, the different things they can do, and the fact that all alumni were once where they are now.
"This is just a step in the process of where they want to go and do, and they can be anything they want," explained Braun. "I'm living proof of that."
Living proof that while events that seem like detours are really ways of growing toward the kind of person one wants to be.
"I just like being back and helping people," said Braun. "Volunteering makes me feel good. Hiring Huskies makes me feel good. I am learning and growing and living the life of the person I always wanted to be but never thought I could."
Dawn Lastowka isn't a BU alum. But, for as close a relationship as she has with BU and its students, she may as well be.
Lastowka is a Recruitment Director for City Year, an education organization, and a member of the AmeriCorps national service network. She started recruiting with City Year Philadelphia in 2012 after six years with the organization and noticed that many students at PASSHE schools were from the Philadelphia area. Her husband, Ken, himself a PASSHE grad from BU, was heavily engaged with his alma mater and gave Lastowka some extra insight.
"Between the student demographic at BU and Ken's involvement, I saw a unique opportunity to grow City Year's relationship with Bloomsburg, recalled Lastowka.
City Year has 3000 AmeriCorps members in 29 cities across the country whose job is to ensure students in systemically under-resourced schools receive a high-quality education that prepares them to thrive and contribute to their community. Lastowka says that many of the individuals who elect to serve have a strong desire to participate in a cause greater than themselves.
"Many of the students we meet want to grow professionally through a unique experience.". explained Latsowka, "They may have had City Year in their classrooms growing up or were a part of an after school program and want to give back."
Lastowka says her team looks for three things when considering a new hire: a growth mindset that is solution-oriented, adaptability, and an ability to build relationships across cultures.
"We need people who will take action to understand and empathize with people across cultures, hold themselves accountable, and build relationships," emphasized Lastowka. "Cultural empathy is a huge part of the work that we do, and as an organization, it's essential."
Lastowka says that a term with City Year provides a space for those who want to work with youth outside of teaching to gain professional skills and experience. Those who have degrees in Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, and Political Science and desire to work toward educational equity find the position attractive and rewarding. An education award for corps members who complete their term is also an attractive benefit to paying down debt or applying to graduate or law school.
"New grads can spend time working with schools and immersing themselves in the education sector, exploring where their passion lies," explained Lastowka. "Those who are thinking about grad school find a place to explore the professional world before making that commitment."
Lastowka says that as she suspected, Bloom grads are very well suited to the work. She has led City Year to make an intentional effort to recruit at BU through meeting with professors and student organizations and participating in career development opportunities such as the Career Intensive Boot Camp. In the past three years, more than twenty BU grads have served with City Year, and, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, corps members are still serving, and City Year is still hiring.
"It is an amazing experience full of opportunities for professional and personal growth, said Brittney Goris, Team Leader at City Year Miami and BU alumna. "BU students become a domino alongside those who are fighting towards equitable education for all. It is a powerful movement to be a part of."
"Students and schools that work with City Year report better academic outcomes than those who don't," concluded Lastowka. "Bu grads can really have an impact here.”
So impressed with a recent grad, Richmond County School District in Hamlet, NC just became Bloomsburg University's newest employer partner.
Richmond County Schools Asst. Superintendent for Human Resources, Julian Carter reached out to Petra Hester '19 via Handshake as a potential applicant. Hester did some research and began the hiring process, which included videoconferencing with each building principal and the Curriculum Coordinator. Carter said that Hester did so well during the hiring process, that the principals were competing for her.
"She was just absolutely fabulous," said Carter of Hester. "The thoroughness of her training and the knowledge quality she had was impressive. Everybody wanted her in their building. I don't know that I've ever seen a candidate more thoroughly prepared."
Hester was offered a second-grade teaching position at West Rockingham Elementary School. She accepted and will relocate to North Carolina this summer.
"Everybody was really nice and made me feel comfortable," recalled Hester. "I had a lot of time to research the school and felt confident throughout the process."
Carter said that Hester's training wasn't just apparent in the pedagogical sense, but also to the "soft skills" so many new grads tend to lack. Hester's preparedness is a testament not only to the academic coursework at BU, but also to her involvement with the Education Learning Community and her experience as a Community Assistant on campus.
"Not only was she clearly prepared to be a teacher, but she also had tremendous communication skills. It was obvious she had gotten interview preparation. She was on time, she was ready, she was motivated, and those are big reasons to hire somebody."
While his school district has been unfamiliar with Bloomsburg grads until now, Carter is anxious to start a partnership with the university. He was a participant last week in the PASSHE East Get Hired event, a joint effort from PASSHE schools in the eastern part of the state to prepare new graduates for professional life and connect them to actively hiring employers.
"Whatever we can do, we will," explained Carter. "I've been doing this for a long time, and I can tell when places are doing it right. What Bloomsburg did for this young woman, and the quality of the educator we are getting, is fantastic."
Kreischer Miller Recruiting Continues despite COVID.
Kreischer Miller is a regional public accounting firm of about 200 employees based in Horsham, PA that employs Bloomsburg University alums at every level of the organization.The firm has recruited at BU for over 30 years and has continued despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
In fact, one responsibility for Kreischer Miller HR Coordinator, Alyssa George, is to lead an internal BU recruiting team made up exclusively of BU alumni. They are regularly on campus for events like the Career Connections Expo and the Zeigler Institute of Professional Development (ZIPD) Conference. They also give class presentations, work with student professional organizations, and routinely recruit BU students for their summer leadership program,The KM Experience. They have even created an open house for first and second-year students to experience networking in a more casual setting.
"BU alums are always happy to go back and connect with students, and it's nice for students to meet someone who was once in their shoes," said George. "In public accounting, there's a lot of competition for good accountants, and we love Bloomsburg – it will always be one of our top target schools."
This spring, of course, has required a few adjustments to how the firm meets potential employees because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kreischer Miller responded to the pandemic by finding ways to connect virtually and worked with the Department of Alumni and Professional Engagement at BU to record a webinar on virtual interviewing.
"I definitely miss student interaction from being on campus, but we are still finding ways to connect and answer questions they have about KM," said George. "Bloom has done an excellent job to assist employers in the COVID-19 environment.”
That level of recruiting enthusiasm draws from a long relationship that speaks to the quality of graduates from Bloomsburg University and its faculty.
"We trust the accounting program at Bloom and have a great relationship with the faculty," said George. "We know the quality of the hire when it's a Bloom student. When we hire entry-level, we look for students who have soft skills and are involved and well rounded."
Not only do BU grads make a good impression while employed with Kreischer Miller, but they also thrive. George says she sees quite a few similarities between the university and the firm, including what she deems its "perfect size" and personal touch. Since Kreischer Miller serves privately held companies, accountants have the opportunity to work with a variety of clients and industries before choosing to specialize in areas of personal interest. George says that the firm invests in helping employees build fulfilling professional lives and fosters a sense of community with team-building events and activities.
"I always ask students to reflect on why they chose Bloomsburg because our cultures are very similar," said George. "We are small enough that you're not just a number and large enough to be competitive. At Kreischer Miller, our employees are a valued team member from day one."
"We don't expect them to know where they want to specialize, so we expose them to a variety of clients from investments to manufacturing to realty," continued George. "If you can build your career, you will truly love what you do, and we give them that opportunity. KM is truly a great place to work."
WebFX, a full-service digital marketing agency in Harrisburg, has a significant presence of Bloomsburg University alumni as its employees. As this emerging industry leader continues to build its relationship with the B.U., expect that number to grow.
“We have a large pocket of B.U. alums and they are the ultimate team players," Says Emily Livingston, Talent Acquisition Specialist for WebFX. "They work hard, are incredibly bright and motivated, and are fantastic people; really the best of the best. They sum up everything we look for and are a great fit."
Livingston says it was Bloomsburg University's enthusiastic participation with WebFX that has led to such a strong partnership. The company has a presence with colleges and universities across the Mid-Atlantic region and is a "frequent flyer" on the Bloomsburg University campus, providing both classroom speakers and attending Career Connections Expos throughout the academic year. Livingston notes that even at their highly attended open house events, B.U. students regularly set themselves apart.
"My experiences with them have been out of this world," said Livingston. "They are curious, responsive, ask great questions, and want to connect with team members, and that is fantastic. Some of the most thoughtful follow-up messages I've ever received have come from B.U. students, and we take notice."
Livingston credits the B.U. faculty and staff for the strong student participation and preparedness.
"We have noticed so much commitment and involvement from the Bloomsburg faculty and staff. It's obvious they are on the students' side and want them to have jobs they will enjoy. They've gone to bat for us by pointing them in our direction, and we love that."
What should be especially attractive to new grads is that WebFX promotes from within, hiring almost exclusively at entry-level and training each new hire in the skill set required. From there, Livingston says that the company allows each employee their path of professional discovery.
"We don't expect you to be an expert, and we don't micromanage," explained Livingston. We aren't afraid to train those with potential; we want them to make mistakes and keep learning and growing."
That model has allowed the company to grow 250 percent in the last five years and earn the designation of Best Place to Work in PA. WebFX is currently hiring 2020 grads, and Livingston says those from B.U. should not be afraid to apply, even if their major isn't a match for the technical skills associated with a marketing firm.
"We are looking for those coming up college grads who are green and excited to jump in but may not have the tech skills," explained Livingston "Go for it. Give us what you got - we want to see more of everybody and anybody that is connected to B.U."
"A lot of students feel they have to move to these huge cities for careers in marketing," concluded Livingston. "The sky is the limit – You set those big goals and we are dedicated to helping you get there."
Our graduates represent — and make — the difference 🎓👔👠🐾 #ProfessionalU #CIBC2020 #Husky2Hired #BloomOnward (at The Greenly Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9R7eecnOmg/?igshid=1y07evw3wekc4
Enterprise Holding Company continues their decades long partnership with Bloomsburg University through the Professional U initiative.
There is a well-known cliché that "it takes a village" to raise a child, but it also takes a village to groom a college student into a confident professional. And while the university environment alone does much to foster independence and academic understanding, a key piece in student success after graduation is professionalism. Industry partners, like that of Enterprise Holdings, play a crucial role in that success.
The partnership between Enterprise Holdings and Bloomsburg University may be several decades old, but has strengthened in recent years, according to Elizabeth Brindley, Talent Acquisition Specialist for Enterprise Holdings. She stresses that the goal for Enterprise isn't just to recruit grads to the company, but rather to live up to the company's founding values and become involved in university programs that promote professionalism.
"There is a lot of opportunity to partner," explained Brindley. "We want to be in places that match our values and encourage their students to things that are important to them. B.U. checks all the boxes."
By "boxes," Brindley is referring to the ways B.U. weaves career experiences and professional development into the student experience; from the first day they set foot on campus to the day, they leave as alumni. The initiative is called Professional U and gives B.U. grads a unique ability to succeed in the "promote from within" environment that Enterprise offers. That type of dedication to employee development has made the company an attractive option to B.U. grads. In fact, Enterprise Holdings has hired thirteen full-time B.U. grads and five interns in the past three years alone in various roles across the company.
"Everyone learns how to be successful from the ground up," said Brindley. "B.U. students are very well prepared, and we see them continually be top performers. When we talk with them at campus events, they are ambitious. They have lofty goals, and that matches our 'promote from within' mentality."
Professional U events, such as the Career Intensive Boot Camp and ZIPD Conference, as well as Career Connections Expos and campus workshops, offer students the chance to connect with industry professionals like Brindley. She notes that the students who seize the opportunities become easily recognizable to recruiters.
"I tend to see a lot of the same students throughout the school year, and I get to know them," explained Brindley. "That tells me they see the value and take it seriously, and they know that hard work is required. B.U. students know that it’s important to be there, which sets them apart ."
These events, however, require the investment of partners like Enterprise to be successful. Brindley regularly volunteers at several Professional U events where she can impart her knowledge and experience to help guide students on their path to becoming a professional.
"When I'm able to give my knowledge and best practices of the industry, then we can be a true business partner," said Brindley. "These events are a great opportunity to connect with students and impart some knowledge that they'll be able to take on their career search. It's important to give back, both personally and on behalf of Enterprise."
"It's about the people doing business with us and if you do right by those people you will be successful," added Brindley "For our employees, it means providing training and development to further their career, for students it's about providing ways to apply what they learn in the classroom. B.U. is a great business partner all the way around."
