#BE

Tag: #BE

M3 Insurance 

An insurance company headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, M3 Insurance (M3) has evolved from a local agency into the largest insurance broker in the state and one of the top 50 brokers in the nation. With over 300 employees and a footprint extending across Wisconsin and into Illinois, M3 manages complex risk and employee benefits for thousands of businesses, ranging from local family shops to global corporations.  

What They Do 

M3 acts as a high-level consultant and advocate for businesses. Rather than just selling insurance, they provide strategic risk management, employee benefits consulting, and financial services. They specialize in specific industries like construction, healthcare, and manufacturing ensuring their clients have a playbook designed specifically for their unique challenges.  

Culture & Values 

M3 describes itself as having the bench strength of a national firm with the soul of a local partner. Their culture is built on a work hard, play hard mentality, underscored by values like merit-based decisions and uncompromising integrity. They are heavily invested in the M3 Way, which emphasizes a team-based approach where specialists collaborate rather than working in silos.  

Entry Points for Students & Grads 

  • The M3 Internship Program: This is a highly structured summer program that includes the Gavel Club (for public speaking), mentorship, and swaps where interns spend time with insurance carrier partners.  
  • Account Specialist/Coordinator: A position perfect for recent grads, these roles support client service teams and provide a deep dive into the technical side of risk and benefits. 
  • Business Development & Sales: For those with high energy and a competitive streak, M3 offers paths into consulting and client acquisition. 
  • Data & Analytics: As insurance becomes more tech-driven, M3 increasingly looks for grads to help analyze risk trends and financial modeling with their AI(Analytical Intelligence) team. 

Why M3? 

If you are looking for a fast-paced, professional environment that feels like a big-league career without leaving the Midwest, M3 is a top contender. They provide the freedom to grow, meaning they provide the training and resources to help employees own their career path. For students, it’s an opportunity to learn the business of business, seeing how companies operate from the inside out while building a massive professional network. 

Computer Science and Data Science major, Mathematics minor at Lawrence University, and the President of the Lawrence University Data Science Club. Connect with Sabin on LinkedIn

Learning UX Design with Lloyds Banking Group: My Forage Experience

I’ve always been curious about what UX (user experience) design really is and how designers create digital products that are easy and enjoyable to use. Recently, I explored this through the UX Design Introduction Job Simulation with Lloyds Banking Group on Forage, and it was both eye-opening and very helpful.

In this simulation, I took on the role of a junior UX designer, working as part of a team tasked with creating a new digital banking feature. My first challenge was to conduct a competitive analysis, researching what other banks were offering and analyzing customer spending data. This helped me understand how companies identify market trends and make decisions based on data, skills that are useful in almost any field.

Next, I focused on customer research, designing surveys and observing user behavior to see what real customers need. This experience taught me practical ways to collect feedback, analyze patterns, and use insights to make digital products easier and more enjoyable to use. I especially enjoyed learning how UX design combines research, creativity, and problem-solving. It showed me that great design is not just about aesthetics, but about truly understanding the user.

This simulation was incredibly helpful because it gave me a hands-on experience with real-world UX tasks. It clarified concepts I had only read about and gave me tools I can use in the future, whether in design, marketing, or other creative projects. For someone like me, always curious about UX, it was a clear way to see how research and creativity come together to improve user experiences.

Overall, completing this simulation strengthened my skills in research, analysis, and designing with the user in mind, and it gave me confidence in exploring careers that combine creativity and data-driven decision-making.

Try it for yourself: https://www.theforage.com/virtual-experience/N65hfzBKXRiATv6yd/lloyds-banking-group/ux-design-introduction-xhef/intro-scenario

What Reviewing Interviews Taught Me About Communication

Before this assignment, I mostly thought about interviews from the perspective of the person answering questions. Reviewing asynchronous interviews through Big Interview completely changed that. Watching multiple responses back-to-back made it easier to notice what immediately captured attention and what made answers difficult to follow. The strongest responses were not always the most polished or formal. Instead, they felt genuine, organized, and easy to connect with. The students who stood out usually explained a real experience, gave enough context for the listener to understand the situation, and spoke with a sense of purpose instead of sounding overly rehearsed.

One thing I especially noticed was how important structure becomes in recorded interviews. In a live conversation, interviewers can ask clarifying questions, but in asynchronous interviews, the recording has to speak for itself. Answers became confusing when people jumped straight into details without explaining the bigger picture first. On the other hand, some responses worked really well because they balanced storytelling with clarity. A few students also did a great job connecting their experiences back to the role or skill being discussed, which made their answers feel more meaningful instead of just descriptive. I also became more aware of things that are easy to overlook when recording yourself, such as pacing, lighting, eye contact, filler words, and nervous habits. Even small adjustments in those areas made interviews feel more professional and engaging.

After reviewing these interviews, my biggest advice for students completing asynchronous interviews is to practice communicating naturally rather than trying to sound perfect. Interviewers are not expecting flawless delivery. They want to understand how you think, communicate, and reflect on your experiences. Watching your own recordings can definitely feel uncomfortable at first, but it can also be one of the best ways to improve. Instead of focusing only on mistakes, students should pay attention to what is already working well and build from there. Peer feedback is not about criticizing someone’s personality; it is about helping each other grow into stronger and more confident communicators.

Dennis Boakye ’26 is a senior with a major in Neuroscience and a minor in Mathematics. Dennis is the current career peer educator for the Health and Medicinal Professions (HMP) and the Physical and Natural Sciences (PHN) career communities at Lawrence University. Connect with Dennis on LinkedIn.

Careers in Sports Marketing

Sports marketing sits at the intersection of business, storytelling, and the energy of live sports. It is the work behind how teams, leagues, athletes, and brands connect with fans and turn that connection into engagement, loyalty, and revenue. If you have ever seen a viral team video, a packed stadium promotion, or a memorable sponsorship campaign, you have already seen sports marketing in action.

For students who love sports but also enjoy communication, creativity, and strategy, this field offers a wide range of career paths.

What Is Sports Marketing?

Sports marketing involves promoting sports-related products, events, and experiences. This can include professional teams, college athletics, sporting events, athletic apparel companies, or even individual athletes.

At its core, the industry focuses on three goals:

  • Building and maintaining fan engagement
  • Increasing attendance, viewership, and sales
  • Creating strong partnerships between brands and sports organizations

Work in this field can happen behind the scenes in offices, in stadiums on game days, or across digital platforms where fans interact with content every day.

What to Study at Lawrence

There is no single required major for entering sports marketing, which makes the field flexible for students with different interests. However, at Lawrence, English, Business & Entrepreneurship, and Data Science and Statistics might be especially helpful.

Classes in video production and editing, and in graphic design are also useful. What matters most is building a strong foundation in communication, business thinking, and audience engagement.

Skills That Matter Most

Sports marketing is a fast-moving field that values both creativity and professionalism. Key skills include:

  • Communication skills: Clear writing, storytelling, and audience awareness
  • Digital and social media skills: Creating content and engaging fans online
  • Teamwork: Collaborating across departments and partners
  • Organization: Managing deadlines, events, and campaigns
  • Creativity: Developing fresh ideas in a competitive environment
  • Data awareness: Understanding engagement and performance metrics

Internships

Internships are one of the most important entry points into sports marketing. The industry is competitive, and employers often expect students to have hands-on experience before graduating.

Students can build experience by:

  • Applying to college athletics departments
  • Working with campus recreation or intramural programs
  • Volunteering at local sporting events
  • Managing social media for student organizations
  • Seeking internships with minor league or local teams

Networking is also important. Career fairs, alumni connections, and informational interviews can lead to opportunities that are not always publicly posted.

How to Get a Full-Time Job

Most students begin in entry-level roles such as:

  • Marketing Coordinator
  • Social Media Assistant
  • Ticket Sales Representative
  • Fan Engagement Coordinator
  • Sponsorship Assistant

Employers typically look for:

  • Internship or applied experience
  • Strong communication and digital skills
  • A portfolio of work or campaigns
  • Demonstrated passion for sports and fan engagement

Many professionals start in seasonal or entry-level roles and grow into specialized positions over time.

Who Hires Sports Marketers

Sports marketing professionals work across many types of organizations, including:

  • Professional sports teams
  • College and university athletic departments
  • Sports leagues and governing bodies
  • Athletic apparel and equipment brands
  • Marketing and advertising agencies
  • Event management companies
  • Media and broadcasting organizations
  • Esports organizations
  • Community recreation programs

Large organizations such as the NFL or major college athletic departments often have structured marketing teams, while smaller organizations provide broader, hands-on experience early in a career.

Career Outlook

Sports marketing is expected to grow steadily over the next decade due to several trends:

  • Expansion of digital and social media marketing
  • Increased use of data and analytics
  • Growth in women’s sports and emerging leagues
  • Global expansion of sports audiences
  • Rise of esports and new entertainment formats

Competition for entry-level roles will remain strong, but opportunities will continue to grow for candidates with digital skills, creativity, and real-world experience.

Final Thoughts

Sports marketing is more than promoting games, it is about shaping how fans experience sports and connect with teams and athletes. It is a field for people who enjoy energy, creativity, and collaboration, and who want their work to feel dynamic and meaningful.

If you enjoy sports and are also drawn to storytelling, community building, and creative problem-solving, sports marketing may be a path worth exploring. Start early, seek out experience, and stay curious. The industry rewards those who are willing to learn and engage!

A Current Lawrentian’s Experience Interviewing

Through Big Interview, I had the opportunity to “interview” my fellow Career Peer Educators at the Career Center. We all recorder ourselves answering the sample interview questions, and then we were tasked to each write an article about our experience.

Throughout all the interviews I looked at, the strongest answers were always concise. That’s a huge challenge, especially on the fly in the middle of a conversation. Rambling is way easier than trying to slow down and think. However, slowing down is probably the best thing you can do. When you are more conscious of what you’re saying, you can make sure what you’re saying is relevant.

As well, being able to tie your ideas together is great. If the question is “what is your greatest strength?”, and your answer is “kindness”, you should consistently be relating your kindness to the workplace and how it is used as a strength. That sounds redundant, but it is really easy to just go on a tangent about how nice you are. Then, the employer doesn’t get the chance to see how your strength is actually applicable to what you would be doing.

Confidence is also a huge thing! And honestly if you aren’t feeling the most confident, faking it until you make it is a real thing. Interviewers judge your everything. Your clothes, attitude, tone of voice, and even how you sit matters. You want to exude confidence from the second you enter the building. There are some small ways one can implement this into practice. Smiling is a big one! Smile at the interviewer, the person who hands you your coffee, everyone. The way you walk matters as well, and walking with a smile automatically shifts people’s perception of you in a positive way. Some other quick ones would be walking straight, use a strong handshake, and don’t be afraid of eye contact. In my experience, one of the biggest things that exude confidence is being yourself. No one has fun in an interview where the interviewee is robotic and too curated. Find ways to show them your personality, while maintaining professionalism. It isn’t as hard as you’d think!

Nowadays, many interviews are online. In that case,obviously some things change. You have to keep the interviewer engaged! The easiest way to do that is with your words. Avoid rambling as previously mentioned and focus, really focus, on what you are saying. Not so much so that you’re speaking in chunks, but so that you are concise. Don’t be afraid to use your hands when you talk, as it can help the interviewer stay engaged, but monitor it. You don’t want to be flailing your arms or using hand motions where it doesn’t make the most sense. It takes thought and practice with intentionality to understand it, but this is also not as difficult as it seems.

If the thought of recording yourself and watching it back makes you not the happiest, don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Big Interview is a great tool for interviewing, and getting comfortable with feedback. All of my coworkers that I interviewed through this platform are people I see everyday. It really wasn’t weird watching their responses. If you keep a professional mindset, you really can get a lot out of it. I highly encourage you to give Big Interview a try!

Good luck Lawrentians!

Trying Marketing with Forage

I wanted to get a real feel for what marketing work is like, so I tried the Marketing Explorer simulation by Forage. It’s a short, self-paced program that lets you step into different marketing roles through realistic, hands-on scenarios. In just 30–40 minutes, I got to try tasks that professionals actually do, from creative strategy to data analysis and customer research, giving me a clear sense of what a marketing career could be like.

The simulation gave me a taste of how creative, analytical, and customer-focused skills all come together in marketing. It’s a great way to explore different roles, practice real-world skills, and see which parts of marketing might suit you best, all without the pressure of grades.

My experience: As a Film Studies student, I’ve always been curious about marketing and how creative ideas reach the right audience. This simulation let me apply storytelling and problem-solving skills in a marketing context. It helped me understand how different roles connect, explore what I enjoy, and gain confidence about exploring a career in marketing.

Try it for yourself: https://www.theforage.com/simulations/pearson/marketing-oxce