Nina Werger
Nina Werger
Class Year
’24
Current home
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Major(s)
Public Relations
Current Position
Sales Leadership Development Program Associate at Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC
While studying public relations at Carthage, Nina Werger ’24 was given unique opportunities to strengthen her resume, such as working as a campus tour guide, interning for the Office of Marketing and Communications, and presenting her senior thesis at the National Collegiate Undergraduate Research Conference in California. Because of her Carthage experiences, she was able to secure a job at Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC as a sales leadership development program associate. Ms. Werger’s role allowed her to rotate through two sales departments across the firm. First was the Recruiting Department, where she talked with financial advisors and worked to recruit them to Ameriprise. Next was the Team Practices Department, which supports groups of financial advisors who partner together as a financial advising team. She is eager to work in a third department within the company, and she is in the process of becoming a licensed financial planner.
Ms. Werger is excited to give back to her alma mater and its students. “I am a passionate cheerleader for Carthage! If I can be part of making a Firebird’s personal or professional goals a reality, I want to be a part of it!” she says.
What have you enjoyed most about your career?
“I have deeply enjoyed the rotational aspect of my career so far. Being able to experience three completely different departments within a Fortune 500 company has offered me the ability to understand what type of work I enjoy and excel at. With being a sales LDP, I’ve gotten concrete sales experience, which has taught me how much I enjoy talking to others and using my persuasive speaking skills to communicate with Ameriprise financial advisors and potential clients effectively.”
How did Carthage prepare you?
“Carthage prepared me for a career in sales in many ways. From the real-world skills I learned in the classroom to my on-campus jobs, each step of my college experience prepared me differently. I worked as a Carthage tour guide during my senior year, which prepared me incredibly well for my role in sales by teaching me how to speak to people from all paths of life persuasively. I also worked in the Office of Marketing and Communications, which taught me to have an eye for detail in terms of grammar in writing. Lastly, showing employers my senior thesis in the interview process was incredibly helpful. It provided concrete evidence of my experience and research in that field.”
How has your liberal arts education benefited you?
“One way in which Carthage prepared me for post-college life and the job-searching process was by hosting the Psi Sigma Epsilon Interview Competition with four business professor panelists — Jim Padilla, Chao Zheng, Erlan Wheeler, and Mark Mrowiec. The competition entailed four rounds of interviews over three hours in a bracket-style competition. I was proud to be named the winner of the 2024 Interview Competition! That experience allowed me to practice answering interview questions quickly on my feet. It taught me how to phrase my collegiate experiences in ways employers would be attracted to. It was an experience that helped me land my current position at Ameriprise by giving me confidence throughout the interview process.”
Why did you choose Carthage?
“I chose Carthage because of its Lutheran roots and because it had a wonderful Dance Program. I trained in classical ballet my entire life, and I was overjoyed to learn that I could continue studying ballet at Carthage. I’m happy to say that even post-graduation, I have kept up with ballet by becoming a part-time ballet teacher on the weekends!”
What opportunities were made possible because of your Carthage experience?
“I had countless opportunities made available to me because of Carthage. During my senior year, I was given the chance to fly to Long Beach, California to present my senior thesis research at the National Collegiate Undergraduate Research (NCUR) Conference. That was a wonderful experience that was made available to me because of the hardworking individuals in The Aspire Center. The center sourced and funded that trip for me and some of my classmates. Also, serving as the president of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter at Carthage gave me leadership experience and an entryway into a national organization with networking, educational, and professional opportunities.”
What Carthage professors played a part in your success and how?
“Public relations Professor Colleen Palmer was a huge part of my post-college success. She went above and beyond to help her students find internships, job opportunities, mentors, and more. Thanks to her, I could present my research in California, and she helped me greatly when I took on the president role in the PRSSA. All the faculty at Carthage went above and beyond to make connections and get me into the correct rooms that opened doors for me.”
What's your favorite Carthage memory?
“My favorite memories as a Carthage student include playing Bingo, attending the Homecoming football games, performing in the Carthage dance shows, and having the best times simply hanging out with my three roommates in our dorm room. I will forever be grateful for the lifelong friendships I made at Carthage.”
Tips for current Carthage students?
“Get involved in as much as you can during your college experience! Join all the clubs, attend every event, and talk to everyone. Each experience you have in college will help you in a different way as a Carthage graduate. Also, be happy — you’re at the best college in the world!”