Kate Shriber, a senior from Pleasanton, California, was serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Since she and her companion couldn’t go out to teach people in person, she served by making videos about the gospel and sharing them on social media, ultimately discovering an unexpected passion: marketing.
When she returned from her mission, Shriber applied to the marketing program at the BYU Marriott School of Business. She hoped to develop the skills to serve and inform people about products that would improve their quality of life.
At BYU Marriott, she not only found ways to develop her skills but also discovered a community of peers, professors, and alumni. “I’ve had a lot of people who were willing to help me find jobs and give advice, and they’ve been so open,” she explains. “I’ve probably done a hundred informational interviews, just asking people questions.”
Many of these interviews are with people she met through the Sales Society, a subset of the Marketing Association. Shriber attended the society’s events early on in her time at BYU Marriott and eventually joined its leadership team. Now the president of the Sales Society, Shriber helps organize case competitions, weekly seminars, and networking events for her peers.
It was through events like the ones she now organizes that Shriber landed an internship at Boston Scientific as a medical device representative. “Surgeons don’t know how to use some of the devices, so you need to have a rep in the room,” she explains. “Doctors ask questions about the product to make sure that they’re using it correctly; I give them little tips on that, and then also recommend new scopes and products.”
After finishing up her internship, Shriber accepted a fulltime offer for a medical device representative position at the company, which she’ll begin after she graduates in April 2025. She hopes to help improve people’s quality of life through selling medical technology. “I’m really excited to be in that role and help people feel better.” She explains, “When people come in to the hospital, they’re in a lot of pain, then they have their surgery, and their quality of life is so much better.”
Shriber says she wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity she has now if not for professors who helped her build a résumé and prepare for interviews and student association events. “I was able to talk to different companies through career fairs, interview with them, and then once I landed those interviews, I had the skill set I needed,” she says.
Her experience at BYU Marriott had such a profound impact on her life that Shriber has worked to organize similar experiences for her peers. “I want to be in a position where I can give back to people in one way or another. The Sales Society leadership team has been great for that. I’ve been able to connect with students who are looking for opportunities and who need some advice,” she says. “I want to continue to give back throughout my career.”
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Written by Melissa Een
