The Midwest Conference is formed as an organization of colleges sharing a similar educational philosophy of inter-collegiate athletics. Conference members believe that intercollegiate athletics provide unique and valuable experiences in the total educational program. They contribute significantly to the development of the individual students and provide excellent opportunity for their growth, self-realization, and the fulfillment of personal potential.
“MWC Stories of Identity and Achievement” is a weekly feature highlighting the pursuits and passions of MWC students outside of athletics and into the classroom, campus and beyond graduation. The MWC Constitution forms the commitment to well-rounded individuals who maintain a distinct yet complimentary identity to that of our successful athletes. Opportunities to pursue their passions and potential in both academic and extra-curricular activities and fully integrate into campus are what make us No Ordinary Conference. In full alignment with the Division III Strategic Positioning Platform, the MWC has been a leader in the balance among academics and athletics as current and former student-athletes continue their pursuit of excellence in all that they do.
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Kerrigan Named One of INC. Magazine's Coolest Young Entrepreneurs Under 30
Former Lake Forest Basketball Player Katie Kerrigan Found Her Niche
At six feet tall, Kathryn “Katie” Kerrigan was the ideal height to play basketball for Lake Forest College. But with her size 11 feet, she often had trouble finding fashionable shoes that fit, especially for formal occasions. She found that many of her basketball teammates experienced similar problems.
Meanwhile, as a politics and history double major, she was inspired by several professors who were passionate about the subjects that they taught. From them, she learned that if you truly believe in what you do chances are you will do it well, and it could be fun and rewarding. Professor of History Steven Rosswurm, in particular, also instilled life skills. “Anything rewarding requires sweat equity,” she says. “He taught me that I have to work for anything and everything.”
She put this into practice after graduation. While earning her MBA at Loyola University, where she focused on marketing and international business, she developed a business plan for a shoe company that catered to women with large feet. Katie combined her business skills with a longtime interest in design to start Libertyville, Ill.-based Kathryn Kerrigan, Inc. Launched in December 2005, the shoe company offers stylish footwear to women with shoe sizes 6 - 15. “It’s a true life experience that materialized into a business,” says the entrepreneur.
But making the business a success required her to learn the ins and outs of shoes — from how to make them to locating a production facility to marketing the shoes. Since then, she has sold shoes on her Web site and in boutiques and department stores around the country and plans to launch a couture clothing line, picking up awards for entrepreneurship along the way and continuing to draw on Professor Rosswurm’s advice.
Previous Stories:
Week 1 - Brandon Johnson - Lake Forest College - story
Week 2 - Alec Moore - Grinnell College - story