PIVOT with PURPOSE

After visiting a slew of colleges in 2011, high school senior, Jamin Parker, decided to attend Grace College. For the Indiana native, offered a full-ride scholarship for academics and athletics, the choice was a no-brainer. While he studied at Grace, he took advantage of the blended program, allowing him to receive a degree in Accounting and an MBA in just 4 years.

On the other side of his 2015 graduation ceremony, came a golden opportunity to work as a Financial Analyst with the fifteenth largest company in the world, Mercedes Benz.

Only months after packing up the cap and gown, Jamin and his wife relocated to Atlanta, Georgia where he was among 300,000 employees working at the Mercedes Benz headquarters. “I had a great team at Mercedes Benz. Coming straight out of school, it was nice to feel welcomed and fit in right away with a great manager, and good benefits,” said Jamin. And by benefits, he’s talking about more than just healthcare and dental! Jamin and his wife enjoyed the employee vehicle program which gave employees heavy discounts on their cars. “Not many fresh college graduates get the luxury of a new car,” Jamin exclaimed.

What might have been the ultimate destination for some, was just a launching pad for Jamin. He took the skill set he developed at Mercedes and pivoted into a role that focused more on sales operations at US Bank. Because of his prior experience at Mercedes, he was able to make an impact on US Bank and add value right away–something for which Prof. Stichter would be proud.

Jamin recalled his accounting professor, Roger Stichter instilling in him the greater purpose of accounting, “In all of our classes, Prof. Stichter would lead us in meaningful devotions and tie in what it means to add value in your career.”  At the time, Jamin had no clue how much those words would ring true.

But Jamin’s story doesn’t end there.

Given the opportunity to work remotely for US Bank, Jamin and his wife packed their bags and moved to Austin, TX. After 2 ½ years with US Bank, Jamin saw another opportunity for growth in his career and pivoted into his current role with Bazaarvoice, the world’s largest shopper rating network, as the Sales Commissions team Manager.

What sets Jamin apart in his career? The pivot.

Never being apathetic, always seeking growth opportunities, and building upon previous experiences has been Jamin’s M.O. “The jumps I’ve made have been incremental. They’ve been partially new and partially what I have done before. The experience at Mercedes helped me pivot into US Bank and that experience helped me pivot into my current role at Bazaarvoice.”

Looking back on his time at Grace, Jamin recognized that he was well-prepared to make his corporate career honoring to God; “In your corporate work life, you will have opportunities to impact people. You don’t have to be a doctor saving lives or a missionary sharing the gospel to impact people. The work you do every day can add a lot of value.”

Four years removed from college. Three thriving companies. Two upward movements. One life of impact.

This is the way our graduates lead lives of purpose.