BANKING AND BASEBALL

Carrie Spry has spent a lot of time in banks. Growing up in Carthage, Missouri, Carrie’s dad often took her to the bank where he worked to show her the ropes. Today, she works part-time at People’s Bank of Seneca as a loan processor and credit analyst. Couple this background with the fact that she has always loved working with numbers, and it is easy to see how this

second year MBA student has come to study finance and economics at Missouri State.

Carrie’s decision to attend MSU came after graduating from Missouri Southern State University in 2010. “I was working at People’s Bank and didn’t necessarily want to forfeit the great work experience I was receiving in order to pursue my MBA. MSU presented me with a unique opportunity to continue my education in a traditional classroom setting while also continuing my work at the bank.” Given the community banking nature of People’s Bank, Carrie has had the opportunity to work in many different areas of the bank and see a comprehensive overview of the banking system. “I plan to continue my work experience and expand my knowledge of the financial system over the next few years.” However, at some point in the future Carrie says she would love to pursue her dream of being a teacher.

Mentoring Carrie is another Carthage, Missouri native, FGB assistant professor, Stephen Haggard. “Dr. Haggard has mentored me the most here at MSU. He has pushed me to think beyond the textbook and encouraged me to apply what I am learning to my job at the bank. He has also encouraged me to pursue a Ph.D. as I have shared my interest in becoming a professor of finance.” Carrie’s interest in academia was bolstered this past summer when she traveled to Dalian, China and worked as a graduate assistant. In her first few days there, Carrie taught the introductory corporate finance class. “During the following weeks I worked with students outside of class to help them get a more complete understanding of the material. It was a great experience and assured me that pursuing teaching as a career would be a great fit for me.”

In her spare time, Carrie enjoys playing tennis, going for a good run, and playing with her nephew, Asher, who is 18 months old. She also loves watching sports, especially the St. Louis Cardinals. “I have been to 12 different MLB stadiums over the past 4 years. I love baseball and a few years ago I decided to make it a goal to tour all of the stadiums. I’ve been to old and new Yankee Stadium where I got to watch the biggest rivals- Red Sox vs. Yankees. While each stadium is unique and has its own environment, my favorite stadium is still Busch Stadium.”