Mohamed Mohamed (pronouns: he/him) is a senior graduating this May with a major in Finance. Mohamed was recently hired at UnitedHeatlh Group as a Financial Analyst.

Mohamed was excited to be hired after finding the employer and the job posting through his own search of their website. He took many steps to prepare himself for the hiring process. He says, “Without working with the Strommen Center in finding an internship, creating a LinkedIn [profile], polishing my resume, and attending job fairs, my placement wouldn’t have been solidified.

For fellow students, Mohamed has this advice: “Take time to connect with the Strommen Center and ask for help whenever you need to find internships, polish your resume, or look for a full-time position when the time comes.”

Congratulations, Mohamed, on your upcoming graduation and for your career success! We’re honored to have worked with you in the Strommen Center and UnitedHealth Group is lucky to have you!

Zoe Barany (pronouns: she/they) is a senior graduating this May with a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in Communications. Zoe was recently awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) position.

“I was encouraged to pursue a Fulbright award by the URGO office,” Zoe says. “I had applied for other scholarships, grants, and research apprenticeships throughout my time at Augsburg. I loved the idea of being able to take my passion for sustainability and skills as a student leader and applying them in a new setting.”

Applying for a Fulbright is no simple task. To prepare, Zoe wanted to put her best foot forward. They extensively researched what are of the world they wanted to teach in and how it would best fit their skills, abilities, and interests.

“This past summer I was working a job.” Zoe describes, “completing research at the University of Minnesota, and I still made time every day to write/ edit my application. Applying for a Fulbright takes serious dedication and will push you to become a stronger writer. In addition to this, I also volunteered at a recreation center in St. Paul to practice teaching and creating outdoor activities for children. This experience paired well with my position in the fall as an Augsem Teaching Assistant within the Environmental Sustainability Living Learning Community. I worked collaboratively with faculty to create lesson plans and encourage students to be thoughtful stewards. Academically preparing myself for a Fulbright was also a priority for me. I challenged myself to start taking graduate-level courses at Augsburg through the education department focusing on Eco-Justice.”

Fulbrights are highly competitive and much-sought after opportunities. Through a large amount of preparation and taking on new challenges, Zoe successfully landed a placement. But Fulbright ETA awards are not just for those who want to be a teacher, says Zoe. “I encourage anyone who is interested to challenge themselves and apply! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!! This program is designed for recent college grads who are looking to travel overseas and serve as a cultural ambassador.”

The Strommen Center and Sabo Center, where Zoe has work with staff/faculty member Monica McDaniel, are extremely proud of all her work and look forward to hearing about the new adventures that come their way. Congratulations, Zoe!

Jacob Meiners (pronouns: he/him) is a junior at Augsburg, double majoring in Data Science and Mathematics. He’ll be graduating in the spring of 2024 and has recently been hired on by Major League Baseball (MLB) as a Junior BOSS Operator for the Saint Paul Saints.

Jacob says, “This position sort of fell into my lap after about a year of continuous interviews for various positions in professional sports. From late September into December of this past year, I participated in multiple rounds of interviews for a Business Intelligence and Analytics Internship with the Minnesota Twins, ultimately not getting the position after making it to the final round of interviews. In February and March of this year, I also participated in multiple rounds of interviews with Minnesota United FC for a Business Intelligence Internship, ultimately not getting the position again after making it into the final five candidates.

“I have spent the last few years working hard in school to build my skills for these positions and networking (mainly via LinkedIn) with many people who currently work in professional sports. Tom Colosimo (through the Strommen Center) and multiple of my professors at Augsburg helped me immensely in my preparation for these rounds of interviews and helped me network with potential employers. I reached out to a few employees of MLB’s Data Operations department a few months ago to introduce myself and my available skills. At the time, most of the available positions were filled with MLB’s Data Operations, but just a few weeks ago, one of those employees reached out to me and asked if I would like to work in St. Paul for the Saints because someone dropped out of the job.

“So, after multiple failed attempts to get my foot in the door, this job fell into my lap and I could not be more excited. Sometimes it just takes reaching out to the right people and introducing yourself, you never know what could eventually come across your plate. I would not have been able to make this happen without the help of the Strommen Center’s resources and my professors’ knowledge of the field I have been looking to go into.”

Jacob’s story is one of persistence, networking, and an opportunity coming at just the right time. Long months of hard work have paid off and we are honored to celebrate him and share his journey. Congrats, Jacob, and all of us here in the Strommen Center are excited to see what comes next for you with MLB and the Saints!