Ryan Simpson

Current Position: Financial Representative for Northwestern Mutual

Why I Chose GMercyU

Graduating high school with more than 900 kids and with over 4,000 kids total, I knew how easy it is to get lost in the crowd. While on my recruiting trips to schools, the one big thing I kept in mind was the idea of not just being another face in the classroom. I wanted to have a personal relationship with my professors.

When I came on my recruiting trip to GMercyU, I felt the love immediately from not only Coach Dana Lindstrom and the team but from the staff, students and the professors. The family-like community is what really got my attention that stuck out from every other school that I visited.

I believe GMercyU is one of the best schools around because they are the full package. Being a part of GMercyU has allowed me to grow and experience new things with strangers that I now can connect with on a personal and professional level. The drive and will to create an atmosphere for students to feel safe and grow is really remarkable when thinking about the success that comes behind each of the programs that GMercyU offers.

I’m forever grateful for attending GMercyU because it has prepared me and given me some of my closest friends. You are not just a statistic, you are so much more than that. When you accept the offer to join GMercyU, you accept an offer to join a family of people who want to see you grow and be successful in every aspect of your life.

Academic Experience

I would be disrespecting the professors in the School of Business if I didn’t say that each and every one of them had an impact on my career at GMercyU. Every one of these professors are special in their own way.

Their ability to take a lesson plan and relate it to the real world to give us a more in-depth example is second to none.

 

Their ability to know every student on a first-name basis and build a rapport with each student really goes to show how much they care and want to see us grow. I owe everything to each one of these professors just because of what they did for me during my four years at GMercyU.

I was fortunate enough to get an internship with KeyBank as a Retail Banker. During my internship, I got to experience every position in the banking industry from being a teller, to a banker, to an investment officer to even sitting in on a closing of a mortgage. The internship is what led me to be passionate about Financial Wellness and work in the field that I work in now.

Applying for internships was probably one of the most stressful things I have encountered during my time at GMercyU just because of how competitive it can be. Going into my internship, I wasn’t really sure what to expect but once those 12 weeks were over, I was extremely happy I was part of it. Not only did it teach the fundamentals of financial wellness but it exposed me to corporate America for the first time and how impactful the financial services and the banking industry really are.

Campus Involvement

During my time at GMercyU, I was a member of the Investment Club, served as an Orientation Leader and I also worked for the Athletic Department.

I’m a huge believer in connecting and growing with other individuals on campus and not just being secluded with your own little “group.” Getting involved forced me get out of my comfort zone and meet new people and create a college experience that I will never forget.

Being an Orientation Leader really allowed me to grow as a person because for an entire week you are in charge of a group of incoming freshmen. During that week, you get to go through different skits, ice breakers, answer questions and help a group of people get acclimated to their new home. It's crazy to think that we had the first contact with the incoming class before anyone else.

Plus, going into my senior year, it was a great experience to be apart of the OPT (Orientation Planning Team) because we got to lead the entire group of Orientation Leaders and ensure that the experience for them and the incoming class is something they will always remember.

Life as a Student-Athlete

I could write a novel about how great the Men’s Lacrosse Program is here at GMercyU. Coach Lindstrom does a fantastic job of getting each member of this program prepared for life after college.

The standards and values that he hold his players to really shows that not only does he care about our individual growth as a player within the program, but as upstanding citizens within our communities.

Coach Lindstrom is constantly pushing us to be the best version of ourselves on a daily basis. It is much more than your average college team. The program is much bigger than each individual who is a part of it.

Some say it’s a brotherhood but I truly believe it's a family. I came in with two blood-related brothers but I walked out with 40 brothers who would have my back through thick and thin. We go through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows together but the life lessons that we are taught through the game and the standards that Coach holds us too are lessons that we can apply to every aspect of our lives.

If it wasn’t for Coach and the program that he had built, I don’t think I would be as prepared for the real world as I am now. We not only represent the University but we also represent each individual who has worn the same jersey before us and who has helped pave the way of such a great program. My relationship to this day with Coach has not skipped a beat. I look to him as a mentor and a friend. Being a part of this team has given me some of the best memories of my life.

Post-Graduation

Life after college can be scary if you don’t have the right people in your corner supporting you every step of the way. Luckily at GMercyU, I had the best support system from not only the lacrosse team and my family and friends, but the faculty and staff that I built relationships with. I currently work for Northwestern Mutual (NM) in the Philadelphia office. I was able to secure a job with them starting as a Financial Representative prior to graduation. I knew that I wanted to have a position that would allow me to have an impact and have a focus around Financial Wellness since I was so drawn to it from my internship with KeyBank.

I have held various roles during my time at Northwestern Mutual. I started out as a Financial Representative trying to grow a financial practice from the ground up. I was naive and wasn’t aware how hard it was starting from ground zero to essentially build a brand and create my own little “firm.”

A couple months in, I realized that it wasn’t for me but I enjoyed the work and the mission that NM is all about so I decided to join the Financial Planning team. While on that team, I was able to help clients of financial advisors achieve a lifestyle that they never thought would be possible.

I was fortunate enough to be offered an opportunity to join Delfiner Financial. Delfiner Financial is a DBA under the umbrella of Northwestern Mutual. His practice is one of the top 1% in the entire company. My main role is exactly the same position that I held on FPS but now my focus is solely on his clients.

Every day is a new day and it's such a fast paced environment that you never know how complex a case can be. I have enjoyed my time and still continue to enjoy being able to not only impact the clients that we work with but have a voice on our team to help make change and serve our clients to our full potential.