Jake Weitkamp ’22, an Honors student now pursuing an MBA at Berry, capitalized on opportunities to pursue academic excellence while growing leadership skills on the football team and through campus work and organizations. “I believe that earning degrees from Berry will be extremely valuable for my career, but my experiences and the relationships I have gained are priceless,” he says.
A degree in sports administration initially attracted Weitkamp, but a class with Associate Professor of Economics Brian Meehan changed his trajectory. “I took an introductory economics class with Dr. Meehan, and I knew I had to switch majors,” he explains. “I think I was most intrigued by learning how people respond to different incentives, and I felt challenged by the need to think analytically.”
In addition to his role as the football team captain, the scholar-athlete served as president of the economic honors society and became involved in the Berry Center for Integrity and Leadership, which matches a small group of juniors and seniors with experienced leaders in the professional community. Noting that he learned to interact with people motivated by a variety of goals and passions, he says, “I have learned that one can never know enough about leadership. There is always room to grow and get better.”
Some of Weitkamp’s most notable experiences on campus occurred because of his position as a tutor at the Academic Success Center (ASC), which offers free consulting and review sessions to Berry students. “I think working as a tutor helped me learn how to teach a lot of different people, build self-confidence and promote my time-management skills,” he reflects.
This past summer, Weitkamp interned several months as a business intelligence analyst at Harbin Clinic but now mentors undergraduates while working on his MBA. As the coordinator for the Roosevelt Scholarship Program, he offers guidance through a variety of topics and issues to ensure a meaningful experience at Berry.
Down the road, he intends to return to his roots and coach football at the collegiate level: “I would love to give back to the sport that made me the man I am today by helping other young men become the best versions of themselves both on and off the field.”
Story by sophomore Zach Pishock