At WMU Haworth, experience is our greatest advantage, with students applying business skills throughout their college journey. Sarah Obermeyer and Martin Walker II are two examples of how experience-driven education pays off and builds individual careers—and the reputation of WMU on the East Coast.
Sarah Obermeyer, B.B.A.’22
Attending one WMU Haworth event can supercharge your career and change your life. That’s Sarah Obermeyer’s story. Participating in a virtual networking event that the Sales and Business Marketing Association held in 2021, Obermeyer met fellow sales grad Melissa Griffiths, B.B.A.’17, who worked at Box, a company that uses intelligent content management, secure collaboration and automated workflows to assist organizations. Griffiths encouraged Obermeyer to pursue the company’s internship program—mentoring her along the way.
Obermeyer has gone from internship to full time with two promotions in three years, now holding the role of commercial account executive. “Every day I use what I learned from the sales and business marketing program, pairing it with knowledge I picked up during my internship. The combination helped me gain confidence early in my career so I could hit the ground running!”
And this Business Bronco is on the fast track. Passionate about working with nonprofits, Obermeyer was identified as one of Box’s top sellers to nonprofits during this past year. “There’s so much uncertainty about how nonprofits can continue the important work they’re doing. At Box, we discount our products up to 75% off for nonprofits, and I have helped a large range of groups in their work to deliver community outreach plans, support survivors of violence, and provide infrastructure for other important missions. Being able to see how the work I’m doing with these organizations directly impacts individuals means so much to me.”
During her Advanced Selling Strategies course at WMU, Obermeyer learned the team skills that she uses each day, including goal setting, giving and receiving feedback, and managing expectations and timelines. “Within my role at Box, I’m a customer’s main point of contact, but I have an extended team of engineers, consultants and customer success managers who I work with. It’s not possible to do everything, and everyone has a different role to play. During my time at WMU Haworth, I learned the skills that help me successfully interface with team members with different working styles to achieve common goals.”
WMU to New York
“I work with ridiculously smart people, and sometimes I’m younger than the people I’m working with,” says Obermeyer. “It’s my favorite thing when someone asks me ‘where did you go to school?’ after I’ve done something well at work. I’m filled with pride telling them I went to Western Michigan University, and that I have a degree in sales. I’m so thankful for my education and the investment my professors made in me!”
Martin Walker II, B.B.A.’23
Preparation, persistence and relationship building: It all added up to an internship opportunity and full-time position at Deutsche Bank for Martin Walker II. The finance and leadership and business strategy graduate maintained a high GPA, while cultivating connections through student organizations and development programs. Many of his skills came from his involvement in Seize Every Opportunity and Management Leadership for Tomorrow, where he gained intensive training in finance, career preparation and mentorship.
No stranger to seeking new experiences, Walker became a real estate investor while he was still a WMU student, purchasing a house in Kalamazoo that would afford him a passive stream of income. He was fulfilling a dream that he had to invest in properties with his father, who passed away in 2020, before they got that chance. After taking the Real Estate Fundamentals course, he decided to liquidate investments and use his internship earnings to make the dream a reality.
Walker has found that the experiences he sought out, as well as those offered through his WMU business coursework, have gotten him ready for his career.
“I use both my majors every day as an asset-backed securities analyst. Skills like presentation, communication and problem solving are vital for my work. In the leadership and business strategy program, I had the opportunity to lead a team of students on a consulting project with real business objectives. This experience pushed me to manage time and team members effectively, developing practical solutions for a problem faced by a company. We communicated our approach in front of our peers and professors while responding to their questions and feedback. The project was excellent preparation for many aspects of my career.”
With part of his college career in person and part online, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Walker has excelled in online collaboration. “The pandemic enhanced my ability to work efficiently in a remote environment. Managing assignments while maintaining communication with team members across various states and time zones is directly applicable to my current role at Deutsche Bank, an international investment bank with a global presence.”
Paying it forward
“I recognize the importance of ‘paying it forward,’ helping others access similar opportunities to the ones I’ve had,” says Walker. “I’m passionate about supporting students who aspire to work in competitive industries. I truly believe there are resources out there, but it takes research to uncover them. It’s encouraging to see WMU’s presence in New York and at prestigious financial companies continuing to grow, and I’m hopeful that more doors will open for WMU students who are eager to pursue careers in finance.”