Sarah DeVries Kurtenbach '09

Calling:

Entrepreneur, The Kurtenbach Group

Graduated:

2009

Majors:

Business Administration: Concentrations in Marketing and Management

Her Life Today:

Principal and founder of The Kurtenbach Group, a social media and startup growth consulting company

Here, There, Back Again

After graduation, Sarah Kurtenbach moved to Atlanta and worked as the second employee for BLiNQ Media, a Facebook-preferred marketing developer. "We grew to become a multi-million dollar company and went through a large acquisition," she explains. "Then I worked post-acquisition for a Fortune 100 media company. In 2013, I was promoted and became the youngest VP in the company's history." In 2015, she returned to Sioux Falls to marry Chad Kurtenbach and to start her consulting company.

Three Enduring Insights From USF

1. When college allows you an opportunity to travel, do it!
2. God is the greatest networker of all time. He will introduce you to more people who will change and guide your life than you could on your own.
3. USF taught her time management. "We are all blessed with 24 hours a day: the difference is in how people use it."

January Interim Propelled Her Forward

Capitalizing on interim helped her grow as a student and businesswoman. "I used interim as a chance to travel, take unique classes and attend different colleges," she says. "Interim helped me to fully confirm that I wanted to move to a different state after college, which catapulted my career."

How USF Continues to Inspire

"USF is a very genuine community of people who care about you as a person, not just about you as a student or your future career," she says.