Foundation Board Member Feature: Lisa Giese

Meet Lisa Giese, one of the MSUM Foundation’s newest board members. She brings a wealth of knowledge and is looking forward to sharing her time and talents with MSUM. She graduated from MSUM in 1999 with a degree in accounting and currently works for Marvin Windows and Doors in Fargo. Welcome, Lisa!

When did you first become connected to MSUM? How?
I had a cousin who was attending MSUM when I was in high school and visited the school. I was attracted to MSUM due to its strong business programs and the campus atmosphere. I grew up on a farm so coming from a smaller community, MSUM was a good fit. My husband also attended MSUM so now we enjoy going back to campus together.

What unique experience, skill or perspective do you bring to the Foundation Board?
Having an accounting degree, I spent 15 years working as an auditor at a CPA Firm. Throughout my career, I worked with non-profit organizations including foundations. I have also served as a member of the Paseka School of Business Advisory Committee.

What’s one thing that surprised you about MSUM?
The sense of community you feel as you spend time on campus and interact with the people there. When I was attending MSUM I never walked across campus without seeing and talking to several people I knew. In class, professors took the time to get to know their students and truly cared about their success.

What inspires you to give back to the university with your time and talent?
The ability to support MSUM and its students in achieving their dreams and having a chance to impact their experiences at the University inspires me. In some cases, students might not be able to attend college without the support of the Foundation.

Who at MSUM inspires you?
There are so many it is hard to name everyone individually, but Jane Pettinger and Sheri Erickson at the Paseka School of Business are a couple of people I admire. They are hard-working and passionate about MSUM and its students.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
I have a twin sister who also attended MSUM. We have participated in the MN Twins Study ran by the University of Minnesota since we were young.

What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
I’ve always believed strongly in the idea that you have to be the change you want to see in the world. It’s not enough to express your opinion but you have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and put the effort into making change happen.

Where’s your favorite on-campus meeting place?
The Comstock Memorial Union was where I spent most of my time on campus, but you can also find me at Nemzek attending a sporting event.