Annemarie Hansen embodies the claim that a UST MBA can take you anywhere you want to go, to a corner office, a multinational startup, or perhaps a Jesuit High School.
Annemarie was born and raised a “true Minnesotan” in Maple Grove, MN. From a young age, she exhibited a proficiency in leadership, frequently converting her playroom into a schoolroom where she subjected her stuffed animals and her little brother to the role of students while she taught.
In high school, Annemarie recalls a formative experience which further embedded her passion for leading and teaching. She went on a summer mission trip to a home for over 500 orphaned and abandoned children in Honduras. There she fell in love with the culture, the language, and the people. Annemarie’s worldview was transformed and she had a newfound focus for her professional goals.
Two years later, at Marquette University, Annemarie obtained her BA, double majoring in elementary education and Spanish languages and literature, with a study abroad in Spain. After graduating, Annemarie followed her passions back to Honduras, a place she considers her second home. She spent her first year in the classroom, teaching English to underprivileged middle-schoolers. Almost immediately, Annemarie petitioned to extend her stay in Honduras and change her position to a volunteer coordinator role, better utilizing her gifts in administration and programming.
After two years of devoted service in Honduras, Annemarie knew she needed to gain further experience and education. She explained, “While I loved my work in Honduras, I knew that my skills and knowledge were limited and I needed to develop them to bring about the change that was so necessary in our world.”
Thus committed to breaking the cycle of poverty, Annemarie found a position at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Twin Cities, and at the young age of 25, she was promoted to the school’s administration, where she has worked for the past two years. In her new role, Annemarie quickly realized that “incorporating business practices into non-profit organization management is fundamental to (its) vitality.”
Knowing that the UST MBA Programs are reputed for educating business leaders in all fields, including the non-profit sector, Annemarie began the Evening UST MBA Program in 2009.
She describes her UST MBA experience by saying, “Entering an MBA program from an educational/non-profit background, I feared I would have trouble fitting in with my classmates. However, they have been very accepting and inquisitive of my experiences. I enjoy sharing my work from E. Lake Street and (learning about) theirs from downtown. I not only want to gain from the MBA program, but I want to contribute to it too.”
And that is just one of the many remarkable attributes of Annemarie Hansen.
