Emily Bauer

University of Georgia, Terry College of Business

“Just an Enneagram 8 who is probably watching college football or Friends.”

Fun fact about yourself: In 2019, I attended all the home and away Georgia Football games.

Hometown: Snellville, GA

High School: Brookwood High School

Major: Finance, Risk Management and Insurance

Minor: Certificates – Personal & Organizational Leadership, Legal Studies

Favorite Business Course: My favorite business course has been ILAD 4100, Leadership and Personal Development, taught by Dr. Little. This class allowed for deep self-actualization through in-depth reflection and examination through skills, personality, attitude, and aptitude tests. Through diverse activities and subsequent class discussion, we were able to learn about who we are as students and people at our core. From there, we began crafting our individual values and statement of purpose. This class highlighted the importance of values-based leaders and soft-skills in the business world.

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• J. Leverett Scholarship Recipient
• Spencer Scholar
• ABSIP Scholar, Sea Island Scholar
• Gamma Iota Sigma | VP of Student Relations
• Leonard Leadership Scholar
• Alpha Omicron Pi | Alumnae Relations Chair
• Terry College of Business Undergraduate Student Services Student Assistant
• Terry Ambassador
• Whatever it Takes | Community Engagement Director
• Dean of Students Leadership Retreat Participant

Where have you interned during your college career?

Summer 2019: Willis Towers Watson, Corporate Risk & Broking Graduate Development Program Intern on the Large Financial Institutions Team in Atlanta, Georgia.

Summer 2018: Snellings Walters Insurance Agency, completed a rotation between commercial, personal, and employee benefits in Atlanta, Georgia.

Where will you be working after graduation? I will be working for Willis Towers Watson in their Corporate Risk & Broking Graduate Development Program.

What company do you admire the most? While it may sound cheesy, I admire my future employer Willis Towers Watson most. Having the opportunity to work there this past summer, I was able to see the commitment to collaboration that has been ingrained in their culture. I was inspired, whether it be open floor plan with no offices or cubes or just the willingness of everyone to take time out of their day to teach the intern something new. Company-wide, there is also a large commitment to diversity and inclusion in all capacities. The company is very diverse relative to the rest of the insurance industry. During my time there, I was able to see the company striving to expand the traditional definition of diversity to include things such as disability.

Who is your favorite professor? My favorite professor is Dr. Addison from the Institute of Leadership Advancement. His most powerful ability was to bring his experience as a bank executive into the classroom and make the classroom feel like a place you can share any experience or thought. I left his class feeling so much more equipped to enter the business world with a better understanding of organizational leadership. My favorite part about Dr. Addison, however, is his ability to connect with and uplift every student around him.

What did you enjoy most about your business school? The people who define the culture of the Terry College of Business is what I have enjoyed most. Everyone is working towards a common goal of growth and involvement, whether it is professors, advisors, Undergraduate Student Services, Development and Alumni Relations, or the students. Coming to a large public business school I thought I would just be a face in the crowd but seeing all of these different groups of people come together to challenge growth and professional development to everyone around them quickly became my favorite part. Everyone is working towards the common goal of making Terry the best business school in the nation. That is so evident through the diverse organizations, academic programs, and resources available – not to mention the new beautiful Business Learning Community.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I learned is to be okay with taking the road less traveled. When I came into the business school, I thought I wanted to work for a big household name company. Once I began to explore how diverse the different opportunities around Terry were, I was able to challenge myself to find my own path. From then to now, I am majoring in Risk Management and Insurance, which I did not even know was a major when I came to UGA. I am so excited to start my career in the corporate insurance industry.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? The advice I would give would be to go out and learn about all of the diverse opportunities available at your business school. The more I learned about the opportunities available at the Terry College of Business, the more I was able to participate in organizational and activities that personally interested me and aligned with my goals. You cannot take advantage of opportunities if you do not know they are available. Therefore, knowledge is power. Once you gain this knowledge, out of your comfort zone and try something new.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am most proud of my involvement in an organization called Whatever it Takes during my time at UGA. WIT is an organization that coordinates and develops UGA students into mentors and tutors for underprivileged elementary-aged Athens-Clarke County students through after school programming. My ability to serve on WIT’s executive board as Community Engagement Director has allowed me to find a passion outside of my professional aspirations while tangibly making a difference in developing young students’ lives. I am proud of this because of the way I have challenged myself through this involvement to have compassionate perspective and seek new methods and outlets of service. The opportunity to be a true servant leader over the past 4-years and be a light in children’s lives who need it most makes me the proudest.

Which classmate do you most admire? I most admire my classmate Lauren O’Neil. After being alongside her through many challenging Finance courses and as a friend, I have been inspired by her ability to help people and allow them to feel seen and loved both in and out of the classroom. Additionally, I have watched Lauren invest her time and energy into diverse facets of the business school while perusing her passion of law in preparation for law school. Lauren will always take time out of her day to help others achieve and for these reasons and many more I admire her greatly.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would thank my older brother, Chris Bauer, for my success. Despite a 10-year age difference between us, he was my best friend, role-model, mentor, and brother all-in-one growing up. He has always pushed me and inspired me to reach my full potential and be the best that I can be in everything that I do. As I decided to follow in his footsteps –  going to the University of Georgia and majoring in business – our relationship has grown. Not only does he challenge me to be the best person I can be, but he has also helped me develop professionally. Chris is my biggest cheerleader and toughest critic at the same time, and I would not be who I am today without him.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Always have a mentor and a mentee
2. Achieve my CPCU Designation and an MBA

What are your hobbies? Playing tennis, watching college football, and spending quality time with friends.

What made Emily such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2020?

“Emily is a Risk Management Insurance and Finance double major with a cumulative GPA of 3.93. Upon graduation, Emily will join Willis Towers Watson. Emily has proven herself an outgoing student with focus on achieving her educational goals while leading the way through college engagement, university involvement, and community service. She demonstrates leadership, commitment, and initiative through her dedication to her education as a Leonard Leadership Scholar, Vice President of the Gamma Iota Sigma Insurance Society, and Terry College Ambassador. Emily was nominated and selected to be the sole student to speak at the UGA Terry College of Business, Business Learning Community Phase III dedication alongside Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.

Emily has worked in the Terry College Office of Undergraduate Student Services for three years. During this time, she has modeled professionalism, critical thinking, and initiative. Her efforts to support Corporate Engagement to our undergraduate population of over 8,000 students have had a direct impact on the Terry undergraduate student experience and her efforts contributed to our 95%+ employment rate three months post-graduation. She has gained a myriad of soft skills and organizational talents through work experience and multiple internships. Emily’s ability to build and manage relationships with her colleagues, the Terry College staff, alumni, and our on-campus employers along with her unique talent for connecting with people has made her an invaluable member of the UGA Terry College of Business Class of 2020.”

Sharen H. Phinney | MEd | Director
Undergraduate Student Services & Corporate Relations
Terry College of Business

DON’T MISS: THE ENTIRE TOP 100 BEST & BRIGHTEST BUSINESS MAJORS OF 2020