Austin Freeman

Background

About Austin Freeman

I am a hard-working and determined Business Administration graduate of Seattle Pacific University with concentrations in Management and Marketing. After graduating from college, I accepted a full time position at SPU and currently work as the Budget Manager in the University's Athletics Department. I have excellent public speaking and interpersonal skills and have proven to be successful in problem solving and conflict management. My approach to leadership emphasizes balancing motivational encouragement with firmly held expectations. In my experience, articulating faith in the success of individuals while also expecting them to meet their goals produces the highest quality outcome. While living on campus at SPU, I demonstrated effective leadership through two years of service as a Resident Advisor. Through this work I served as a resource, role model, and mentor to hundreds of residents in SPU's residential living community. I was able to help students persevere and navigate their lives through the adversity of the COVID-19 pandemic, and encouraged my residents and staff to remain optimistic in times of struggle. In Summer of 2022, I gained professional business experience while working for GEICO Insurance as a Business Leadership Intern. I had the opportunity to work with experienced and motivated leaders in the insurance industry and saw first-hand what excellent management looks like. Our team of 10 interns researched and analyzed the operations of GEICO and trends in the insurance industry. We presented our findings to management and proposed solutions to improve the operating strategies of the company. Upper management implemented many of our ideas into the daily operations of the company and provided insightful feedback to further our development as leaders. I returned to Seattle Pacific University after graduation and now work for the University as the Athletics Budget Manager. My financial and business acumen have grown exponentially throughout my time in this role. Combining my passion for sports, interest in finance, and loyalty to SPU has resulted in a really enjoyable career opportunity. Go Falcons!