After completing the competitive application and interview process, Hana Roessler ’17 and Stephanie Purdy ’18 were selected as Orr Fellows. The two-year Orr Fellowship sets out to provide fellows with full-time salaried positions, opportunities to hone leadership and business skills, and an unmatched professional network.
As a December graduate, Roessler has already begun her fellowship journey with the host company OneBridge Solutions Inc., an information technology staffing and consulting firm. Purdy will join her host company, Levementum, an enterprise software consultancy, upon graduation in May.
“While the full-time job is a very nice aspect, I think the learning and networking are the best parts,” Roessler said. “With a very talented board and pool of alumni, we have access to so many learning opportunities to help fellows grow professionally and personally.”
Fellows selected from Marian University in previous years include Amber Ferrari ’15 and Emily Doll ’16. Ferrari has since graduated from the program, but Doll, still in the fellowship, returned to campus to recruit applicants.
“After hearing the experience Emily had with the program and the community the fellowship offers its members, I knew it was something I wanted to apply for,” Purdy said.
Both Roessler and Purdy used skills learned in the Byrum School of Business as marketing majors to prepare for the highly-selective Orr Fellowship recruitment process.
“The Byrum School of Business gave me real-life experiences to comfortably speak with business professionals and stand out from other candidates,” Roessler said.
Through the fellowship, Roessler and Purdy look forward to gaining experience that will propel their careers, surrounded by a community of leaders, mentors, and friends.
“There is this excitement and nervousness as I approach graduation, stepping out into the real world, but I have already built a community with the fellowship and received so much support,” Purdy said.
