Class of 2017: This business grad intends to do well and do good

Callie Mack will be the student speaker at the Spring Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 12, at 7 p.m. She is a Williams Honors Scholar graduating with a degree in marketing management, summa cum laude.

Hometown: Mound, Minn.

High School: Mound Westonka High School

What’s next?

I will be traveling through Europe for six weeks. Then, I will be starting a full-time position as an assistant account executive at Latitude, a marketing agency and social enterprise in Minneapolis.

Q: Best advice you ever got from a professor?

A: Some of the best advice I received from a professor was in a bunkroom at a school in Haiti during a Global Leadership Initiative trip in 2014. Kevin Smith, director of the Institute for Leadership Advancement in the College of Business Administration, was leading our nightly reflection and ended the discussion with this, “There is a fine line between who you are and who you could be.” This has really had an impact on me since that night. I use it as a reminder to do better and as a challenge to be better.

Q: What’s your advice to incoming freshmen?

A: Get involved! Don’t be afraid to try something new or meet new people. One of the best things I did throughout my college career was to challenge myself “to be comfortable being uncomfortable.” Because of this, I believe I was able to broaden my experiences and really make the most of my four years at UA.

Q: What’s your ultimate career goal?

A: My ultimate career goal is to achieve a leadership position where I can serve a greater purpose. I have always admired women in business that are able to run a company and also be present for their family. I hope that one day I have acquired the necessary industry knowledge and expertise, demonstrated the hustle, and earned the trust and respect from my colleagues to become one of these women.