ATHLETE EYES FUTURE IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
VARIED LIFE EXPERIENCES SET CADET UP FOR SUCCESS
W hen Hannah Stires first arrived at CWU in the fall of 2020, she figured she would pursue a degree in elementary education. After all, Central is known as one of the best teaching schools around. But after she took a few business classes for general education credits, the native of Nine Mile Falls decided to shift her focus and pursue a degree in business administration, specializing in finance. “It’s completely different than what
amount, it’s far more valuable than if you wait to invest it later, she advises. “The best thing I have learned in my CWU classes is that the long term is much more important than what you have now,” Stires said. “Financial advising isn’t just about managing money; it’s about giving your clients confidence that, even if they don’t know where to begin, there are people who can help.” Stires credits Edward Jones Financial Advisor Dave Fiske (’97 and ’99) with opening her eyes to how rewarding a career in personal finance can be. Fiske is a longtime volleyball program donor who has inspired Stires and her peers to consider the benefits of his field. She also appreciates College of Business professors Bill Provaznik and Thanh Nguyen for giving her the confidence she needed to keep going. Most of all, she owes a debt of gratitude to CWU volleyball coach Mario Andaya for unlocking her potential as a player and as a person. “I can’t thank him enough for giving me the opportunity to earn a college degree,” Stires said. “I never even knew I would have that chance because I didn’t know that I could afford college without a scholarship. He’s an amazing person, and the courage and confidence he has instilled in me is something I hope I can repay someday.”
ecil Samson has accomplished a lot in a short amount of time, and he plans to keep pushing himself once he completes his
“That was my favorite job with the DOH because it was so high-level,” Samson said. “We were working with state legislators and federal government officials on a daily basis to help the public understand vaccination policies. It was really important work.” From there, he joined the workforce support team for vaccination programs before assuming his current role with the Care-A-Van mobile vaccination team. He and his colleagues travel around the state every week to provide a variety of vaccinations, administer blood tests, and perform health screenings. “I never thought I would be working in public health before the pandemic, but it has turned out to be a pretty cool college job,” Samson said. It has helped that he could take most of his CWU classes online, which allowed him to fulfill his duties with the DOH and the National Guard on the west side. Samson said his CWU professors have been very accommodating, and he has come away with many positive experiences during his time in the College of Business. “A lot of my professors have been successful outside of higher education, and I have gained a lot from the real- world experiences they bring to the classroom,” he said. “That, and being connected with the ROTC, has helped me put everything into perspective.”
degree this spring. The 25-year-old business
administration major has already spent seven years in the National Guard and has filled a number of key roles at the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) since 2020. But Samson doesn’t see himself working in health care over the long term. Instead, he plans to use his business degree, with a specialization in leadership and management, to pursue a career in finance. “I figured I could do a lot of different things with a business degree, so that’s why I chose that route,” said the Pierce College transfer, who grew up in Bonney Lake and joined the military out of high school. “I’m hoping that, once I am done with my military service, I can use my degree to go into wealth management.” If he wanted to, Samson could very easily continue his ascent at the DOH. He started out as a contact-tracer when the pandemic started before transitioning into a position with the vaccine engagement team. The public messaging role required him to work closely with government and industry officials at all levels, disseminating vital information about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.
I started out doing, but I am so glad I chose the personal finance route,” said Stires, who selected CWU in
large part because she was recruited to play
volleyball. “I like it because I can use my education to help others — that’s the kind of work I want to be doing.” Stires knows what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck, and her own personal experiences have shown her how important it is to start saving as early as possible. Even if you only begin with a small
I figured I could do a lot of different things with a business degree, so that’s why I chose that route. —Cecil Samson
Financial advising isn’t just about managing money; it’s about giving your clients confidence that, even if they don’t know where to begin, there are people who can help. —Hannah Stires
7
6
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker