Spotlight On…

An occasional series highlighting a member of our alumni community, a current student, and a member of our staff or faculty.

Alumnus Andrew Powers, ’09

Where are you working currently?
I am currently working at Chevron. At Chevron, I am the HR Manager for our El Segundo Refinery in El Segundo, CA.

What’s your favorite part about working in the HR field?
My favorite part of working in the HR field is partnering with leaders throughout the organization to foster a culture of inclusion, collaboration, innovation and integrity. During this partnership, I have enjoyed engaging in dialogue and actions for building a culture that will impact business results.

What was your favorite part of the MA-HRIR program? Did you think the program prepared you well for the ‘real world’?
I am very thankful for the opportunity to complete my MA-HRIR at the Carlson School of Management. The opportunity to be educated by world-class professors and surrounded by fellow students that I would continue to grow with in the HR industry is something I will always be thankful for. I found the curriculum to be relevant and engaging. The HR and business courses made me better equipped to be a strong HR partner in the ‘real-world’. This course work as well as experiential learning through HR internships helped set me up for success to hit the ground running.

What’s a hobby or something fun you like to do when you’re not working?
When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my wife and three young children. They are my rock and what is most important to me. We have recently moved to California, so we like to spend our time exploring and enjoying the weather. In addition to this, I enjoy running, tennis, and playing guitar.

Do you have any advice for current students?
I’ll offer the same advice I give new HR professionals entering the workforce as these are all applicable in the workplace or classroom. First, be inquisitive. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn. There is power in learning the why behind the what. Second, cast a wide net for networking. Build relationships with your fellow classmates. You will continue to grow in HR together. It’s always good to have some resources you can reach out to and obtain diversity of thought. Third, I would urge individuals to raise your hand. Raise your hand to volunteer for a project. One of the best ways to “earn a seat at the table” is to show you want to be there. Start practicing this in your class project teams in the MA-HRIR program and practice being a trusted team member. Finally, I would say don’t be afraid to get outside of your comfort zone. Getting outside of my comfort zone while in the MA-HRIR program made me better prepared for situations I would run into in my career. I am amazed at what I have learned in roles that were outside of my comfort zone.

Part-Time MA-HRIR Student Jared Golde

Why did you choose to attend the Carlson School’s MA-HRIR program?
I chose to attend the MA-HRIR program because I found value in the program’s curriculum, which focused not only on advanced HR concepts, but also on the Economics and Business sides of Human Resources, which are not often addressed in undergraduate studies.

Where did you go for your undergraduate degree, and what was your major?
I attended Rasmussen College for my undergraduate degrees, of which I have an AAS in Legal Studies and a BA in Human Resources and Organizational Leadership.

Do you have any work experience?
I have nearly 15 years of professional work experience including but not limited to six years as a recruiter for the Department of Defense, and five years as a general manager and director of operations for Empire Entertainment, LLC. I currently work in human resources for Wells Fargo here in Minneapolis.

What’s been your favorite part of the program so far?
My favorite part of the program has been developing relationships with fellow graduate students in the HRIR program. They are an exceptional collective of bright and innovative minds!

What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time I enjoy traveling and reading. Most recently I traveled to Cartegena, Colombia where I explored the Rosario Islands and finished the book The Org by Ray Fisman and Tim Sullivan, which was recommended to me by Professor Avner Ben-Ner. It was a great read!

Staff Member Stacy Doepner-Hove

When did you start working in Carlson School’s CHRLS? What tasks does your job consist of?
I started working as the Director of the Master’s program in May of 2011. I had been working at the University since August of 1999, first at the Law School as the Associate Director of Admissions and then at the UMN Office of Human Resources and the Manager of Onboarding and Engagement for the University system. I was excited to come over to the Carlson School as I graduated from the Masters in HRIR program in 2009. So this position as the Director helped to bring a lot of things together for me from my career.

I oversee all things to do with the program and students from the time we recruit them as prospective students until they walk across the stage at graduation when I shake their hands and send them off as alums into Anne Obst’s world (though I work with her to keep our alums engaged as well). I work with Amy Danzeisen on admissions and recruitment of all our incoming students and with Susan Suchy on anything related to student services while they are enrolled in the program. I am the academic adviser for all the students in the program and I work with the faculty director, John Kammeyer-Mueller and the rest of the faculty on anything related to the curriculum and programming for the degree. I coordinate with other offices in Carlson and around the University on things related to graduate education and our program. I also teach two classes in the program – the Leadership Practicum for our full-time first year students and the Capstone course for all our students before they leave the program.

What’s the most satisfying part of your job?
Never having a dull moment. Sometimes that gets tiring but I love that there is always something we are working on to make the program better for the students. No one involved with the program is resting on their laurels – we are always looking for better, more effective, and more engaging ways for the students to get the education, experience and connections they need to be a direct asset to any organization they join. I enjoy continuing to think of new things while working to improve the fantastic foundation we already have. It’s easy to be adding to a program that is already so stellar in its reputation and standing.

What is your educational background and what other work experience do you have?
I am a Golden Gopher through and through. I have my BA in History, my JD in Law and my MA in HRIR all from our fantastic University of Minnesota. I already talked about my UMN work history above but as I left law school and before I came to the U I worked as the Executive Director for Minnesota Women Lawyers, the women’s state bar association. And before law school I spent a number of years in management at retail organizations throughout the Twin Cities. Throughout my work life I have enjoyed trying to make whatever workplace I am in as enjoyable, effective and engaging as possible.

What’s a hobby or something fun you like to do when you’re not working?
I love to bake – cookies especially. Really the only thing stopping me from baking every weekend is that I enjoy eating cookies as well and while I work out nearly daily it doesn’t compensate for the potential cookie calories. But my perfect weekend would be baking three or four kinds of cookies, reading a book on my porch while waiting for things to bake, then taking a long walk with my husband and dog on a quiet summer evening. And if you could throw in an after-dark family chat with my two sons as well (while eating the freshly baked cookies) life just couldn’t get any better.

Is there any little-known fact about you that people might be surprised about?
I’m a huge fan of fantasy and science fiction – movies and books. Maybe that isn’t little-known as it comes up in classes every once in awhile, but it does surprise people sometimes.