Senior Chris Wiens Featured in MPCC Newsletter Posted on May 18th, 2011 by Matt Thomas '00

Chris Wiens '11

The Minnesota Private College Council printed a story in its May newsletter about three graduating seniors and their search for a job. Featured in the story is Gustavus senior Chris Wiens, who landed a job as an implementation analyst at Minneapolis-based SPS Commerce.

Story from the Minnesota Private College Council May Newsletter:

Putting the “human” in a humanities degree 

Chris Wiens knew he could make the best use of his humanities degree from Gustavus Adolphus College by finding a job that would require him to communicate with other people. Wiens, a history major and political science minor, recently landed a job as an implementation analyst at Minneapolis-based SPS Commerce. There he’ll work with trading partners to relay their needs to the company’s IT department, which will then create client-specific supply chain management software.

“I knew from the start that I needed to be in a position that would allow me to consistently interact with people. At SPS I can do just that,” Wiens said.

He credits Gustavus, its small class sizes, and the student-professor interaction with helping him to think, write and communicate effectively with classmates. Ultimately, it was these experiences that prepared him for his new job, he said.

“In a small institution, everyone knows one another — which leads to the discussions in the classroom being furthered in students’ everyday lives. The amount of personal growth that takes place in a setting like this is incredible,” he said.

Wiens says the job at SPS is exactly what he was looking for and he looks forward to the company’s positive working environment and overall foresight. While he was initially nervous about the impact the economy might have on his job search, he was able to land a position he is excited about by “working a little harder in my search.”

He also made good use of Gustavus alumni connections while searching for jobs. In fact, his first contacts at SPS Commerce were alums he chatted with at his college’s Prep Party, before the Private College Job and Internship Fair. They helped Wiens better understand the company and reaffirm it was a place he’d want to work — and he eventually got the job.

He said other recent grads seeking a job should play up their hard-earned degree, whether it is in the humanities or in another field. “While it is necessary to understand the harsh effects of the recession, it is also important to realize that companies are always looking to bring in young talent. The trick is this: know your strengths, sell your degree, and do it all in a genuine manner.”

Click here to access the entire May MPCC newsletter.

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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510