Beyond the Bubble: Navigating Professional Life After College

Susan Peterson
Principle Gifts Officer at Mayo Clinic

Making Philanthropy Possible
Susan Peterson is the Principle Gifts Officer at Mayo Clinic. She meets with benefactors and institutional leaders to match Mayo Clinic’s programs with philanthropic efforts. Peterson shares her experience working at Harvard as a journalism fellow, making a positive impact through her career, and her favorite Hillsdale memories. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!

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Adriana Maljanian ('21)
Associate Trust Manager at Private Trust Management Group

The Power of Time Management
Adriana Maljanian (‘21) is an Associate Trust Manager at Private Trust Management Group. She discussed the importance of time management and attention to detail in her role, as well as her favorite classes at Hillsdale.

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Ben Murrey ('12)
Director of Policy at the Common Sense Institute

Making an Impact in the World of Politics
Ben Murrey (‘12) is the Director of Policy at the Common Sense Institute, a role he recently started. At Hillsdale, Murrey majored in Politics and promised never to work in politics, but after graduation took a job working on Ted Cruz’s Senate campaign. He shares his experience starting as a campaign volunteer and continuing in his career working at multiple levels and realms of state and national politics. His previous roles included a Legislative Correspondent and Aid for Senator Cruz and Fiscal Policy Center Director for the Independence Institute.

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Adam Stockford ('15)
Mayor of Hillsdale, Michigan

Applying Lessons from the Politics Classroom in Public Office
Adam Stockford (‘15) is the current Mayor of Hillsdale. Stockford majored in Politics and reflects fondly on his relationship with the Hillsdale College Politics department. Mayor Stockford shares his understanding of the duty to serve your community, the most important realms of local politics, his responsibilities as Mayor of Hillsdale, and his current campaign for State Representative.

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Trent Kramer ('13)
Headmaster at Ascent Classical Academies 

The Havoc-Filled Life of a Headmaster
Trent Kramer (‘13) is the Headmaster at Ascent Classical Academy. He discusses the diversity of work as a Headmaster, which includes strategic planning, teaching, relationship building, and sometimes cleaning up bloody noses! Mr. Kramer shares the beauty of preparing kids for life rather than just college and vocation, building strong character rather than perfecting standardized exams, and teaching kids to pursue goodness and virtue for the sake of itself.

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Brittany Baldwin ('12)
Founder and Owner, Illuminate Consulting, LLC

How to Become a Presidential Speechwriter
Brittany Baldwin (‘12) is the former speech writer to President Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz. Ms. Baldwin speaks to her experience making a career out of writing, working her way from the front desk of Senator Cruz’s office to a role as the sole speech writer on his campaign, and her role in the White House. She advises students to proactively search for jobs, prioritize faith, and maintain friendships during busy seasons of life. Currently, Ms. Baldwin is the President of Illuminate Consulting, which she founded after her role at the White House concluded.

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Lauren Carl ('14)
Vice President of Digital Operations & Integration at Pinkston

Adapting in the Ever-Changing World of Public Relations
Lauren Carl (‘14) is Vice President at Pinkston, a strategic communications firm. Her role at Pinkston focuses on operations and working with clients on the design and creation of PR materials such as digital marketing and web design. After graduating with an economics major, Lauren began her career as an economic research assistant, transitioning over time to her current VP role at Pinkston. Lauren shares her experience adapting to a constantly changing industry, being a proactive employee, and gives excellent advice to anyone interested in a career in communications.

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Frank Maisano (‘89)
Government Relations Senior Principal At Bracewell Law Firm

How To Make an Impact In Government Relations
Frank Maisano (‘89) began his career on the Hill and has spent the past 20 years as a non-attorney working in the Government Relations section of Bracewell Law Firm. The Government Relations section is a specialized practice that takes on clients facing regulatory and legislative challenges, which often play out in the press. Mr. Maisano shares his experience working in a fast-paced work environment, building credibility within an industry, and advocates that students interested in politics go on WHIP!

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Stephen Ford (‘10)
Owner of West Exec Writing

Writing Speeches for the Vice President
Would you rather serve pizza or write speeches for Mike Pence? Mr. Stephen Ford (‘10) joins Beyond the Bubble to share his experiences navigating life post-grad in Washington D.C. with a Politics degree, where he built a full-time writing career and served as Head Speech Writer to former Vice President Mike Pence during the Trump administration. He shares stories about finding humor in ordinary life in the White House, as well as from the extraordinary experiences he had traveling internationally with former Vice President Pence. Mr. Ford discusses prioritizing family and friendships to stay sane, his caffeine addiction, and the writing business he has built since leaving the White House.

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Carley Ross (‘14)
National Account Manager at Ferrero

A Career in the CPG Industry
On this week’s episode of Beyond the Bubble, Carley Ross (‘14) shares about her experiences working in the CPG industry. As a national account manager at Ferrero, she manages value customer accounts like Aldi and Big Lots. Her responsibilities include planning, executing, and managing the customer plan. On a daily basis she manages supply forecasts, uses data and insights to validate new item performance, and builds relationships. Listen now to hear her advice about working in the industry!

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