2018 Best & Brightest: Katherine Uhl, Santa Clara University

Katherine Uhl

Santa Clara University, Leavey School of Business

“Happy dog-lover who is passionate about card games and anything athletic.”

Fun fact about yourself: I’m teaching myself how to play the piano!

Hometown: Hillsborough, California

High School: Notre Dame High School, Belmont

Major: Marketing

Minor: Communication

Favorite Business Course: Conscientious Capitalism, Effective Writing in Business

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

  • Santa Clara University Women’s Soccer team
  • Fellowship of Christian Athletes
  • Bronco Network for Student-Athletes
  • ACE Leadership Program
  • Beta Gamma Sigma
  • Alpha Sigma Nu

Where have you interned during your college career?

Sweat Cosmetics, Santa Clara CA. January 2017-Present

Marketing Intern

  • Support efforts of this athleisure cosmetic startup to increase brand awareness by researching, reaching out, and partnering with health and fitness Instagram influencers and companies.
  • Manage daily fulfillment operations.
  • Engage with and assist customers to increase overall customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

Santa Clara Women’s Soccer Camp, Santa Clara CA. Summer 2014-Summer 2017.

Coach

  • Overnight coach for girls aged 6-15.
  • Responsible for creating a new, fun and educational program each week to accomplish daily goals, increase player confidence, and grow technical skill.

Santa Clara Campus Ministry, Santa Clara CA. Winter 2015-2016

Desk Receptionist

  • Managed the office by fielding incoming calls and questions.
  • Coordinated schedules for Campus Ministry staff and events.
  • Provided assistance to senior staff members whenever necessary.

Where will you be working after graduation? I am still pursuing opportunities, so I’m not sure at the moment but am excited to find out soon!

What did you enjoy most about your business school? I most enjoyed the opportunity to listen to incredible guest speakers and learn from ethical, knowledgeable, and inspirational professors.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? I would advise a student looking to major in a business-related field to apply themselves and not be afraid to establish connections and create relationships early on in their collegiate career.

“If I didn’t major in business, I would be majoring in or studying…sports management or art history! Santa Clara doesn’t offer a degree in Sports Management but I’ve always wanted to do that given my love and passion for sports. But if I didn’t pursue any kind of business degree, I would pursue art history. I almost minored in it but couldn’t fit it into my schedule unfortunately. I’ve always been passionate about and fascinated with art history. I took an Early Christian and Byzantine Art class last quarter, and it was one of my favorite classes ever.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? I’ve been most surprised about the sheer amount of ethical dilemmas business leaders face. I’ve heard so many testimonies and case studies about temptation and how quickly a small ethical misstep can turn into a career ending blunder. Learning from these case studies has greatly helped me prepare for my own career.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? I am incredibly grateful to have received such a quality business education that was rooted in Jesuit and Catholic ideals. I most enjoyed learning from professors who followed a vocation to teach after establishing an extremely successful career in their field, most notably Professor Finocchio and Professor Goins. The perspectives they offered and the lessons they taught transcended the classroom. I engaged on a personal leadership development journey throughout my undergraduate career, and was able to discover my business potential and learn how to uphold ethics in the face of crippling dilemmas from real testimonies given by extremely credible, trustworthy, and accomplished business professors.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? My proudest achievement is being a student-athlete at Santa Clara University. It was a dream fulfilled to play for such a prestigious program and represent the university playing the sport I love. I was a recruited walk-on with no guarantee of ever playing a collegiate match, but ended up having an incredible career and was able to contribute to our team’s deep runs in the NCAA tournament. It was a roller-coaster experience that tested, shaped, and defined my character, and I am incredibly proud and grateful to be able to say I played soccer for Santa Clara University.

Which classmate do you most admire? I most admire my classmate Briar. Her tenacity, genuine attitude, and desire to learn are admirable and inspirational.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? God. I’m thankful for the opportunities He’s presented for me, and the individuals He’s brought into my life.

What would your theme song be? The Main Title from the Rudy Soundtrack.

What are the top two items on your bucket list? Attend mass in the Vatican, and see the Northern Lights.

Favorite book: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Favorite movie: Awakenings

Favorite vacation spot: Flathead Lake Lodge, Montana or Fall River Mills, California

What are your hobbies? Soccer, knitting, ping pong, reading, playing piano

What made Katherine such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2018?

“Katherine is such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2018 because she is an incredible example of successfully balancing the commitments of athletics and academics in pursuit of a business career.

As a walk-on to Santa Clara’s women’s soccer team, Katherine worked hard to prove herself. She never shrunk from the challenge, all the while earning a 3.92 cumulative average resulting in membership to Beta Gamma Sigma and Alpha Sigma Nu (the Jesuit honor society). This is impressive because she also made time to pursue her interest in business through active participation in the ACE Leadership Program, a three year professional development program, and an internship with Sweat Cosmetics, a make-up company founded by former athletes. Katherine is invaluable to the Class of 2018, not only because of her many successes, but because of the humble and honest example she presents to the world day after day.”

Brenda Versteeg
Director, Professional Development & Social Justice
Undergraduate Business Programs
Leavey School of Business
Santa Clara University

DON’T MISS: THE BEST & BRIGHTEST BUSINESS MAJORS OF 2018 — THE COMPLETE LIST

 

 

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.