A bold choice, a balanced path
When Leah Blomquist was considering colleges, she made a bold decision: “I applied to one college … It was the University of Minnesota Duluth, and I have never looked back,” she said. Her confidence was rooted in several advantages of UMD, most notably the world-class academics and the undeniable beauty of Duluth. “It really is a hidden gem,” she said.
Blomquist is pursuing a degree in professional sales and a minor in health and wellness coaching. She’s expanding her knowledge in both disciplines through involvement in extracurricular activities, including the Sales Club and the Recreational Sports Outdoor Program, both of which have built on her leadership skills and allowed for professional growth.
Through her involvement with the Sales Club, Blomquist secured a summer internship with Gartner, a Fortune 500 information technology company. This remote opportunity meant she could work from Duluth, gaining valuable industry experience while soaking up the summer months by the lake with her friends. She shadowed sales professionals during high-profile calls, giving her a peek behind the curtain of what a career in sales looks like. “It's been fantastic to have this flexibility while still having a very high-level internship that will look great on my resume,” she said.
With the Recreational Sports Outdoor Program, Blomquist is working as the lead fitness instructor, where she oversees a group of student fitness instructors and teaches group fitness classes. “To have that place to come back to, to teach a class, connect with others, and really just be a pillar of our fitness community here at Duluth has been transformational in my college experience,” she said. It creates a refreshing balance to her academics and provides an opportunity to apply her coursework across disciplines.
Through these experiences, Blomquist discovered an unexpected connection between sales and wellness. “As I go deeper into my studies in professional sales and health and wellness coaching,” she said, “I've been blown away at how parallel they are.” Both, she realized, center on a process of questioning to figure out what a client needs and then “helping them come to that realization on their own,” she said.
Realizing the synergy between her degrees of study, Blomquist was inspired to find further opportunities to combine her passions. She reached out to Crisp & Green, a fast-casual restaurant with a wellness-focused menu, and is now working as a coordinator for their community fitness classes, helping to expand the brand’s presence in the community. “It’s been really cool to build my network in that realm,” she said.
Blomquist is excited for her final year of classes, and with each new academic inquiry, she continues to find new ways to put her knowledge into practice. That continued growth is something she looks forward to carrying into her future.
UMD has defied her expectations “in the best way possible,” she said. “I have had so many more opportunities than I ever expected … If I did it all over again, I would pick UMD in a heartbeat.”
Header image caption: Leah Blomquist was selected as the student speaker for the Labovitz School of Business and Economics' 50th celebration in September.
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