Choosing LVC never required a second thought for Kirsten Wenger ’13, M’18. From the moment she stepped on campus, Wenger knew LVC was the perfect place to help her prepare for the future.

“I heard about LVC through my brother, Grant Martzall, who graduated in 2007. When I visited the campus, it made me feel at home, and I knew I wanted that to be my college experience,” Wenger recalled.

Drawn to the flexibility and variety of the business field, Wenger was thrilled to learn she could double major in business administration and accounting at LVC. Although the dual major proved to be a challenge, Wenger took advantage of the tutoring and mentoring opportunities offered by LVC to help maximize her success.

“At times, it was harder than anticipated, but with the help of supportive professors, mentors, family, and friends, I could overcome any bump in the road,” said Wenger, who also played four years on the Flying Dutchmen field hockey team. “You learn to make an impact and find yourself, discover what is important to you, and create personal goals inside and outside of LVC.”

During the summer before her senior year at LVC, Wenger interned at Vanguard in the Client Experience Department. Through the internship, she landed a full-time position with the company after graduation. She now works as a supervisor in the Global Travel and Expense Department.

“I love working with people at our international locations and offering expertise to crew members who need advice,” she said. “I am authorized to make decisions in the travel and expense space that impact all our travelers.”

Wanting to expand her impact at Vanguard, and personally, Wenger decided to return to LVC four years after graduation to earn her MBA. Through the MBA program, she focused on the leadership aspect of running and working with a business.

“I chose to come back to LVC for my MBA because of the experienced professors, real-world application, and flexibility the program provided,” she said. “The professors are aware that most students are full-time working adults, and they ensure flexibility to help meet our needs. Today, I use much of what I learned about being a quality leader in my daily responsibilities at Vanguard.”

With her MBA completed, Wenger strives to continue applying her newly-learned leadership skills and knowledge in her workplace in hopes of advancing to higher leadership positions.

“At LVC, faculty know your name and encourage you to make a difference, which I do not think I could have experienced anywhere else,” she said.