“Obviously, when you start out as a freshman, you don’t really know what you want to do,” NMU Alumni Kyle Storm said; a sentiment that is possibly felt by a universal amount of college students.

Storm, now owner of Storm Insurance Agency, Marquette’s local Meemic insurance agency, eventually followed both his father and grandfather’s footsteps, and found his calling in insurance.

Storm pursued a bachelor’s in finance and risk management (with a concentration in insurance) at Northern from 2010 to 2014, working as an undergraduate assistant in the Institutional Research Department during that time.

Before graduating, he was offered a graduate assistantship from the department, and then studied towards a master’s in business administration from 2014 to 2016. He said he initially enrolled thinking he’d find a career as a financial planner, but found the insurance side of everything much more interesting.

“I was born and raised here,” Storm said. “Obviously I went to school here, and wanted to stay here. And there were some opportunities that came up in the industry that allowed me to stay here.”

He gave particular attention to the help that working in the Institutional Research Department gave him, adding that it played a huge role in getting him a job as a graduate assistant and helping him earn his MBA. He also gave credit to his high school principal, Bob Anthony of Marquette Senior High, who wrote a letter of recommendation for his undergraduate job at the Research Department.

He also looked back on the days following graduation, where he learned that even after all the work you put in at school, experience in the field is still key.

“Get experience wherever you can,” Storm advised. “You surround yourself with good people and keep a great attitude. And, you know, you can, but don’t, don’t get so hung up on the dollar signs right away.”

Now, at Storm Insurance Agency, which primarily offers insurance for those working in education, he balances both managing and doing work for the agency. 

“I work day in and day out in the business,” Storm said. “But then you gotta take a backseat and say, what do we got to do as far as the business? … Where do you come in and work nine to five, helping people with insurance?”

He went on to say that time management, as well as prioritizing certain tasks depending on the day, are a vital part of his day to day work.

Reflecting on his biggest moments at Northern, Storm looked back on the Master’s program as being “huge” for him, as well as certain Personal Finance and Insurance Specific classes. He mentioned lectures that “forced me to get outside my comfort zone” as being formative for him, as well as group projects as a “directly relatable” experience for the workplace. 

For current students, Storm advised to try and stay positive through any struggles they may face, to be courteous to everyone they come across, and to try to make the most out of every class.

“In the moment,” Storm said, “it feels like it’s dragging on when you’re plugging away at coursework, but then you blink and it’s over. So, enjoy it.”