College of Business

As she prepared to interview for an internship with Mutual of Enumclaw, Tiga Evans tried to anticipate the questions she’d be fielding.

Nevertheless, one of them caught her just a bit off guard.

“They asked me what my favorite movie was,” she recalled. “And I wanted to say something smart, but all I could think of was my favorite movie from when I was little, so I said ‘The Lion King.’ I regretted it as soon as it was out of my mouth.’”

She needn’t have. Everything was hakuna matata – no worries, in “Lion King” vernacular. Evans got the internship, “and at the risk of sounding cliché, my time at MOE was a little bit life changing. It truly is an amazing company.”

Evans, who’s pursuing a degree in merchandising management and sustainability and plans to graduate in June 2017, was at an OSU career fair when she met a Mutual of Enumclaw talent coordinator.

“In my interviews, I worked at just being myself,” Evans said. “I knew my weaknesses so played up my strengths. I didn’t think I’d get it but I wanted to try at least because it was an awesome opportunity to learn a lot and figure out what I wanted to do.”

Evans received an offer, for summer 2014, at the end of fall term 2013.

“I spent the first four weeks rotating around the company learning the different departments: claims, IT, underwriting, marketing, administration,” said Evans, who then settled into the marketing department. “I learned I really liked marketing, shaping and influencing people.

“Everyone there played a huge part in my personal growth,” she said, “but one person in particular, Jason Murdock, was incredibly supportive of everything I worked on. I worked very closely with him for six weeks in the marketing department. He coached me in networking and group dynamics of an office, encouraged me to think outside of the box. But most of all he taught me to be confident and that I really could do what I wanted in my life.”

Evans, the president of College of Business’ Management Club, says students should get involved on campus as a way to network and also to help gain confidence in areas such as making presentations. She also urges the use of the Career Success Center.

“The person who’s made the biggest impact on me from the College of Business is Brandi Furhman from the CSC,” Evans said. “She played a huge part in my getting the internship at MOE. She told me about it, coached me in interviewing and put in a good word. But most of all she encouraged me to do it and gave me the confidence I needed to put myself out there and apply.”