University of Minnesota Athletics
Shannon Stemper, Class of `09 (Softball)
3/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Gopher Connect
March 17, 2014
Shannon Stemper started every game for the Golden Gopher softball team her final three years at the U. At the end of her later seasons, she would take off her catching equipment and move right into her role as an intern with Ameriprise Financial, which led to a full-time position immediately after graduation. Today,
Stemper is a Senior Financial Manager in the company's corporate finance department.
"Even if an internship is unpaid, during the school year, or just for the summer, any kind of experience on a resume prior to graduation is super important," said Stemper. "My brother is a student-athlete at the U right now and I constantly harp on him, `I understand you play ball but you need to find time to intern.'"
In her current role at Ameriprise, a Fortune 500 financial company headquartered in Minneapolis, Stemper takes the lessons she learned through student-athlete development programs offered through Gopher Connect and not only applies them in her own life, but comes back to campus to share what she's learned with current student-athletes.
"Since I've graduated, I've participated in mock interviews with student-athletes. I've been back [to campus] a few times to interview and provide feedback," said Stemper. "It's important to understand that interviewing is a skill that's acquired. It doesn't necessarily come naturally to all, but if you work at it, you will get better."
The need to work on a personal brand doesn't just mean preparing for the interview. Stemper believes the Gopher Connect programs that stress the importance of building and updating strong resumes, understanding what networking is and how to do it properly, and even professional etiquette are "fabulous," largely because they're not one-time lessons.
"Starting your career is an ongoing process and [Gopher Connect staff] provides ongoing support. The activities they promote are invaluable. They're just great."
