Co-Op propels December grad to degree
As she approaches her 30-year high school class reunion, Kari Hagenow marked an educational milestone this past December by completing her bachelor’s degree from Lakeland University.
Leveraging the flexibility and customization of Lakeland’s Cooperative Education program, Hagenow completed 17 academic credits toward her degree in business administration through her work as personal lines operations manager with Ansay & Associates. That included seven credits, or 280 hours on the job, in her final semester last fall.
Hagenow, who lives in Neenah, Wis., with her husband, Jesse, has worked for Ansay for 23 years and was promoted to her current role as she was beginning her Lakeland degree. She oversees the people and customer service processes for Ansay’s seven central Wisconsin locations.
Hagenow, also a 2024 graduate of Fox Valley Technical College with an associate degree in business management, learned about the Co-Op program from her Lakeland advisor, Beth Boardman, and found the approach perfect for her needs.
“I was learning my new job as an operations manager and applying what I was doing and learning as well,” said Hagenow, who took her Lakeland classes via LU’s online live format.
“The exercises I did when I was taking Co-Op credits helped me reflect on what I was doing day-to-day and helped me learn. You’re not just working to get credits; you’re reflecting on your day and your week.”
When she graduated from high school, Hagenow was a young mom and going to college didn’t fit into her life plans at that time. As she advanced in her job at Ansay, the need for additional education led her back to the classroom.
She had a great role model in her husband, Jesse, an operations manager for Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. in Appleton. A two-time Lakeland graduate, he completed his bachelor’s in 2008 and his master of business administration in 2017.
“I wanted to show my kids that it was possible,” said Hagenow, whose three adult children are ages 29, 23 and 18. “My son had graduated and I wanted to show him, ‘Hey, it’s never too late.’”
