Career Paths

Career Paths: Shannon Porter’s Unconventional Journey to Finding Her Passion

Jane Majkiewicz — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 20:27:11 +0000

Career Paths: Shannon Porter’s Unconventional Journey to Finding Her Passion Jane Majkiewicz Thu, 11/06/2025 - 13:27

Jane Majkiewicz

Content notice: This story includes brief mentions of sexual assault and trauma recovery.

Life rarely unfolds the way we imagine. That’s one of the key messages alumna Shannon Porter (Mktg’23) shared with students in Bonnie Auslander’s Written Communication for Business Leaders course. In a candid and vulnerable presentation titled “What They Don’t Say About ‘The Job’ After College,” Porter outlined a personal journey that took her from trauma to podcast success—navigating rejection, resilience and discovery along the way.

Her visit to Leeds came with inspiration for fellow young job seekers: It’s OK not to have it all figured out. You can learn as you go and piece things together.

What do you wear in court?

Porter's college experience was overshadowed when she was raped by a close family friend her freshman year (not on the �鶹��Ѱ��campus). She quietly struggled to keep studying, apply for internships, and maintain a meaningful college life while handling something far from typical—pursuing a two-year legal process against her perpetrator, whom she later discovered had also assaulted her cousin and three other women.

During finals the first semester of her junior year, Porter wasn’t just preparing for exams; she was preparing for court. There weren’t too many people she could turn to with questions like, “What’s the right thing to wear in court?”

“Life turned out to look very different than what I had thought,” she said. “I was really struggling. At school, I felt like I was living a double life, dying on the inside as I tried to recover.”

The job search that didn’t go as planned

One of Porter’s biggest surprises after graduation was watching her peers fulfill Leeds’ 90% placement rate—securing jobs within six months—while she waited for her big break.

“I did mostly everything right,” she said, describing her efforts to study hard, engage in class and go the extra mile. She struggled with accounting and nearly failed, but overall, she was “doing the grind.” In her sophomore year, she won the Communication Strategy Case Competition at Leeds, which she now credits with helping her build a foundation in presentation and storytelling skills.

Yet despite her persistence, she still found herself among the 10% of recent graduates without a job. She had envisioned a traditional corporate path and 9-to-5 lifestyle. But after receiving 1,300 rejections—one within minutes—she stopped tracking applications in her Excel spreadsheet.

Finding her voice

Through it all, Porter was discovering her voice. Her presentation at Leeds was a great example. She was warm and confident, demonstrating skills honed through crafting dozens of episodes of "What They Don’t Say: Sexual Assault and Everything in Between." Co-created in 2023 with her cousin Lauren King, the podcast was born from a burning desire to open up dialogue around sexual assault—topics they wished they could discuss with supportive friends.

The podcast tackles raw, unfiltered subjects like “Terrible Pillow Talk: Crying During Sex,” aiming to create space for honest conversations about trauma and healing.

There are many ways to build a meaningful career—even if it doesn’t look like everyone else’s version of success.

Shannon Porter (Mktg’23)

And their message has resonated: To date, they have amassed 18,000 social media followers, 1 million TikTok likes, 80,000 streams and downloads, and more than 800 messages from listeners—and counting.

“Consent is hot”—and so is being scrappy and creative

Since launching the podcast, Porter has done whatever it takes to stay financially afloat while advancing its mission. From selling items on Etsy and eBay to working with nonprofits and creating branded merchandise with the slogan “consent is hot,” she’s been resourceful and determined.

Recognition has followed. She secured an interview with Jess Michaels, a Jeffrey Epstein survivor, for the podcast. That led to Porter’s current role as a part-time social media manager for Michaels’ startup, which focuses on sexual assault first aid. Another milestone was interviewing Susan Bratton, a high-profile relationship and intimacy expert featured on The Diary of a CEO.

Producing the podcast is demanding work. “Every week it can feel like dragging myself behind a vehicle,” Porter admitted, describing both the intensity of the editing process and the emotional vulnerability of releasing each episode. She often wrestles with self-doubt, questioning whether an episode is truly ready. Yet the podcast has become a powerful springboard for broader conversations—fueling consent and sexual assault workshops that Porter is developing and plans to bring to college campuses, including �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder.

“I have pieced together a messy, low-income life in service to keeping this podcast going,” she said. “While there are bad moments, days and weeks, this is an example of a path. The 9-5 job on a corporate ladder is not the only way.”

Three Principles for Staying Grounded

Since graduation, Porter has leaned on a few principles to navigate personal and professional growth.

Show up curious. “There’s something to learn from everyone. If you’re bored, show up more.”
Set boundaries. “Say ‘yes’ first and then learn to say ‘no.’ If you say yes to everything, you’ll deprive the world of what you’re meant to build.”
Use AI wisely. AI tools can be helpful in research and editing, but you never want to lose your unique voice. “I never want to use AI in a way that will outpace the integrity of my brand. Once you lose your brand, it’s hard to get it back.”

Looking Ahead

At the heart of Porter’s work is a commitment to education and open dialogue—especially around topics that are difficult to discuss. She began her Leeds presentation with the concept of a “trust tree,” a framework for engaging in honest conversations about issues like sexual assault. Her approach encourages curiosity, respect and wonder, rather than judgment.

Her message to students was simple yet powerful: “The important thing is to find and do something that will build you up.”

After her presentation, Porter reflected on LinkedIn: “Three years ago, I was sitting in those same chairs applying for jobs and hoping for something great. I didn’t know I’d end up on a completely different path than any I thought were options.”

She continued, “It was a full-circle moment to talk with students about the realities of life after college, and to remind them that there are many ways to build a meaningful career—even if it doesn’t look like everyone else’s version of success.”

Shannon Porter (Mktg’23) turned trauma and job rejections into resilience, building a powerful podcast and an unexpected career path.

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Career Paths: Leaning on Each Other—How Student Connections Lead to Career Success

Jane Majkiewicz — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 17:52:56 +0000

Career Paths: Leaning on Each Other—How Student Connections Lead to Career Success Jane Majkiewicz Mon, 10/20/2025 - 11:52

Georgia Horan

At Leeds, not only do students find forever friends in their classes, but they also discover the first steps toward their future careers.

For Lucy Kubas (Fin, Mktg’25) and Michelle Enkhaldar (Bus, Mktg’25), their career journey began in their senior year Pricing and Channels of Distribution course. On the first day of class, Kubas sat down next to Enkhaldar, and a conversation sparked what would later shape their professional paths. With a little inspiration—and the support of a dedicated alum who helped open doors to internships and job opportunities—the two found not only direction but also a shared momentum that carried them into their post-grad careers.

A class connection

The two seniors had met each other before, as Enkhaldar was the president of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s American Marketing Association (AMA) chapter, where Kubas was a member. They connected on LinkedIn. Kubas was in the middle of her senior year job search and saw that Enkhaldar had just completed an internship with Amélie Company, a Denver-based advertising agency. She asked Enkhaldar some questions about it the next time they saw each other, and Enkhaldar shared her story.

Hard work pays off

Michelle Enkhaldar (Bus, Mktg’25)

Back in January 2024, Enkhaldar was in the thick of her junior-year internship search. The previous semester, in September 2024, she was awarded the Forever Buffs “Buff of the Month,” as well as being recognized as the Leeds GOLD Board Outstanding Undergraduate. She juggled her academic workload with planning concerts for the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Program Council and volunteering with Camp Kesem, a support community for children of parents who have cancer. Between those efforts, Enkhaldar squeezed internship searches into late-night LinkedIn scrolls.

One evening, she was searching online through the Leeds Network and wherever else she could find internship opportunities that piqued her interest. She saw an opening at Amélie Company, whose mission of giving back to the people of Colorado resonated with her. She was inspired by efforts such as a partnership with the Colorado Department of Transportation to develop a nonjudgmental awareness campaign to tackle driving while under the influence of marijuana. “This is the company I want to work for this summer,” she thought.

"Leeds builds a great foundation, and if you take the initiative, it can launch your career."

Michelle Enkhaldar (Bus, Mktg’25)

After applying, she felt driven to make a direct connection with the company. She cold-messaged eight employees on LinkedIn before noticing that one, Royer Lopez (Mktg’18, MBA’26), was a Leeds alumnus. She excitedly reached out to him, and soon after, they met on Zoom to discuss the job. As she progressed through the interview stage, she recalled the campaigns Lopez had told her about—projects she could align with. “He was such a great support system,” she said. By the end of the semester, Enkhaldar’s hard work paid off, and she got an internship with Amélie.

That summer, Enkhaldar worked on the Keep the Party Safe Initiative. She worked with the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention to educate at-risk populations on the dangers of fentanyl. She was able to apply her experience from the Program Council. “There was a connection there,” she said, bringing together the skills for planning music events to planning campaigns. “I felt more confident that leaders and people in the workplace appreciated me taking initiative,” Enkhaldar said.

When Kubas expressed interest in joining Amélie, Enkhaldar eagerly put her in touch with Lopez to start the process.

Following in a friend’s footsteps

Lucy Kubas (Fin, Mktg’25)

After hearing about Enkhaldar’s experience, Kubas felt confident in her decision to apply to Amélie. She met Lopez shortly before graduation, and like her friend, she loved the company's mission. Instead of prioritizing products, they prioritize people. Just days after graduating in May, Kubas walked into her job at Amélie.

Over the summer, she was excited to work with 988 Colorado, a hotline designed to connect people in Colorado to a trained specialist for emotional distress, mental health crises and substance use concerns. She helped design pop-ups for Rockies games and Fiddler’s Green Ampitheatre and created an ambient radio station that helped people feel calmer.

Midway through June, she was called into a meeting with her supervisor. They loved her work and wanted to offer her a full-time role in a new position created for her. Now, Kubas works as a digital account specialist, spending half her time with the accounts team and the other half with the media team in a role she loves—one that’s perfectly suited to her career aspirations.

A career launch

Enkhaldar was able to parlay her internship and academic experiences into a role at Live Nation through its College Associate Program in New York City. This past summer, she was excited to facilitate the digital content development of their new product Snap Nation, a bridge between Snapchat and Live Nation. She said that opportunity would never have happened without Amélie, or the Leeds connection that started it all.

"Honestly, every opportunity that I've had is because of my connection to Leeds and networking with alumni. Leeds builds a great foundation, and if you take the initiative, it can launch your career,” she said.

Leaning on each other

Enkhaldar and Kubas attribute their career success to the support system at Leeds. “You are all in this together, and it’s important to lean on and support each other,” said Enkhaldar. She emphasized, “The people that you're in class with now, even if they are a grade or two below, are going to be VPs or senior managers one day.”

"Don’t be afraid to reach out to people in your class. That can sometimes be a little nerve-wracking and scary, but we’re all in the same boat."

Lucy Kubas (Fin, Mktg’25)

Kubas advised focusing on peer support, not intimidation. “Don’t be afraid to reach out to people in your class. That can sometimes be a little nerve-wracking and scary, but we’re all in the same boat,” she said. Learning about other’s different experiences is valuable, she added.

Enkhaldar summed it up this way: “Confidence, kindness and taking initiative will open future doors. At the end of the day, your peers are your support system, and the little things go a long way.”

Lucy Kubas (Fin, Mktg’25) and Michelle Enkhaldar (Bus, Mktg’25) turned their classroom conversations into career success. Their story shows the power of leaning on your peers, taking initiative and building confidence in networking.

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Career Paths: How Matt Schottland Turned a Love of Numbers into a Dual Degree and a Startup

Jane Majkiewicz — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:59:26 +0000

Career Paths: How Matt Schottland Turned a Love of Numbers into a Dual Degree and a Startup Jane Majkiewicz Mon, 03/31/2025 - 14:59

Jane Majkiewicz

Matt Schottland (Fin, Acct’25) is building Brain Buffs, an adaptive SAT prep platform, with a �鶹��Ѱ��alumni/student team—while wrapping up undergrad, starting a master’s, and tackling tax season at KPMG.

Matt Schottland’s (Fin, Acct’25) love of numbers was sparked at age 12 when his dad sat him and his siblings down to explain the stock market. “I really liked it,” Schottland said, “because it taught me about the world around me and how companies work.” Two hours later, he was the proud owner of a single share of Domino’s Pizza.

Since then, there are other numbers that have stood out to Schottland. One is the 4+1 Bachelor’s Accelerated Master’s Program—a lure for coming to Leeds (and after a disappointing freshman year elsewhere, his family’s Buff legacy was also too compelling to overlook).

That defining event when he was 12 convinced Schottland that finance would be his future focus. At Leeds, he also discovered he loves the concrete rules associated with accounting. Blending that with the often unpredictable nature of finance led him to pursue a major in both.

A few more numbers have defined his time at Leeds. He has a 3.98 GPA, he has worked at three competitive internships (Medtronic, Lockheed Martin and KPMG), and last year, he launched his own startup, Brain Buffs, which now includes a team of nine �鶹��Ѱ��students and alumni.

Brain Buffs is an AI-driven, adaptive learning platform designed to help students improve their SAT scores through personalized test prep. To date, the company boasts that students using the platform have improved their scores by an average of 150 points.

The benefits of real-world experience

This spring is no exception to Schottland’s desire to excel. He took the semester off to fully immerse himself in the “crazy busy tax season” at his internship at KPMG.

“My mindset has really been to try as many things as I can while I’m in a position where it’s acceptable to do so." He has intentionally sought internships to explore both the finance and accounting realms, in line with his dual interests.

“My mindset has really been to try as many things as I can while I’m in a position where it’s acceptable to do so."

Matt Schottland (Fin, Acct’25)

Now preparing to complete his senior year this fall, Schottland is especially excited about how the BAM program is structured.

“The program is run very well. … They’re really intentional in how they plan it. In my final semester of undergrad this fall, I have concurrent enrollment, with classes that apply both to my undergrad and to the grad school. That made the program compelling.”

Entrepreneurial momentum

The idea behind Brain Buffs took root in high school, but it was the entrepreneurial energy at �鶹��Ѱ��that gave it momentum. Together with his brother, Logan (a 2024 �鶹��Ѱ��alumnus now working as a software engineer at SpaceX), they launched the company with their team and began a yearlong development journey that resulted in partnerships with five Colorado schools and plans for expansion across the state and beyond.

As the team continues to refine their algorithm, they envision broader applications—preparing students for the ACT and many other types of learning. Despite the trend toward test-optional admissions, Schottland believes standardized tests like the SAT will remain important in states like Colorado, which still require the test to gauge proficiency levels.

Learning by doing

Even as he enters the master’s phase of his education, Schottland is doubling down on growing Brain Buffs. He sees a direct link between his coursework and the startup’s evolution—particularly experiences like the BCOR Applied Semester Experience (BASE), which he described as a critical turning point.

“You work with successful companies … You’re writing out financials, doing opportunity summaries, you’re looking at competitors … these aren’t just theoretical. It’s actually doing these things.”

A cycle of support

As Brain Buffs scales, Schottland has tapped into a wide range of resources offered through Leeds and �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder. At the time of publication, the company had applied to the New Venture Challenge and was awaiting results to see if they will qualify for the next round.

“If we went through the entire competition and didn’t win funding, I would still be happy,” he said. “It’s great connections, and you get to be part of a great community of startups. That’s amazing to be part of, and it’s great publicity for Brain Buffs.”

Brain Buffs also participated in Startups2Students—an initiative that led to hiring four �鶹��Ѱ��students—and collaborated with the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic, a partnership Schottland said saved the company nearly $50,000 in legal fees.

“The more you get involved, the more impressive CU’s startup culture is. All these amazing people with all these smart ideas, and they’re just going for it. They’re making a real impact.”

“In Leeds and �鶹��Ѱ��in general, there’s a sentiment that no idea is too crazy, and nothing is too hard to solve. It’s not ‘Can this happen?’ but rather, ‘How can we do this?’”

“There are so many resources to make you successful,” he said. That mentality, combined with programs like Peer2Peer Mentoring, has helped Schottland build meaningful relationships with fellow students and industry professionals alike.

Matt Schottland (Fin, Acct’25)

“It’s worth it to get involved early because Leeds’ resources are well built-out programs. They’re really intentional and they pay a lot of dividends as you progress at Leeds.”

For Schottland, one major dividend has been the reward of knowing he is helping other students. “I’ve been working a lot, but it’s because I love it. It’s just so rewarding and fun for me. If I’m up at night working, I know there’s a student out there also working. The students really drive me to keep going.”

Want to get your entrepreneurial ideas off the ground? Connect with the Deming Center.

Matt Schottland is building Brain Buffs, an adaptive SAT prep platform, with a �鶹��Ѱ��alumni/student team—while wrapping up undergrad, starting a master’s, and tackling tax season at KPMG.

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Career Paths

Career Paths: Shannon Porter’s Unconventional Journey to Finding Her Passion

What do you wear in court?

The job search that didn’t go as planned

Finding her voice

“Consent is hot”—and so is being scrappy and creative

Looking Ahead

Related Articles

Career Paths: Leaning on Each Other—How Student Connections Lead to Career Success

A class connection

Hard work pays off

Following in a friend’s footsteps

A career launch

Leaning on each other

Off

Career Paths: How Matt Schottland Turned a Love of Numbers into a Dual Degree and a Startup

The benefits of real-world experience

Entrepreneurial momentum

Learning by doing

A cycle of support

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