Three Ship alumni were named among the Top 20 in their 20’s in Harrisburg Young Professional’s (HYP) annual roundup.  Honorees are “rising stars in business, culture, and civic life who are making a meaningful impact in their communities and workplaces.” Ship alumni represent 15% of the awarded movers and shakers.

HYP will host a virtual awards ceremony on December 16, 2020 to recognize Harrisburg’s greatest “doers.” All are welcome to attend the event free of charge, but registration is required and donations are encouraged to support HYP’s Emerging Philanthropist Program. Members 1st Federal Credit Union, Hershey’s Ice Cream, and Startup Harrisburg are sponsoring the celebration. Register for the virtual event to cheer on your Ship family here.

Congrats to the following alumni:

Rebekah (Elbel) Harriger ’16
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
BSBA management
Women’s Cross Country and Student Senate

As the experiential learning coordinator at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, Harriger serves as the administrative for students fulfilling their internship requirement. Her department believes in the “learning by doing approach,” helping students take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it working environments. Harriger loves seeing students succeed and find their calling in life.

Harriger said her experience in the Grove College of Business internship program enhanced her knowledge of “business and opened up opportunities to understand internship management and programs.” She also job shadowed and volunteered for Victoria Kerr, director of the career, mentoring, and professional development center, which “transformed” her experience at Ship. She said, “I would not be where I am today without Victoria and the College of Business.”

Harriger attributes much of her success to her creative and innovative mindset, which she believes to be crucial assets as higher education continues to change. She also congratulates the other Ship alumni who made HYP’s Top 20 in their 20’s list, affirming President Laurie Carter’s words, “Ship family is strong.”

 

Cody Gehman ’15
Stonebridge Financial Group
BS accounting and finance
SU Marching Band

As the practice manager at Stonebridge Financial Group, Gehman wears many different hats. He manages several operations of the firm, including HR, IT infrastructure, accounting, payroll, real estate for future growth, etc. Upon starting in this position, Gehman admitted to not possessing much experience in financial advising. In fact, many of the people he manages at Stonebridge Financial Group who have been in this line of working longer than he has been alive. From his perspective, “I have a lot more to learn from them than they do from me.” Gehman loves the people he works with along with seeing the firm grow and serving clients.

Majoring in accounting and finance created a heavy course load in Gehman’s time at Shippensburg University. Though, he believes the coursework not only provided the hard skills necessary for a career in accounting and finance, but instilled a strong work ethic that would lead him to success, professionally. “Without the work ethic I learned at Ship, I wouldn’t have passed the CPA, which propelled me into other positions” said Gehman.

Gehman articulated, “no one succeeds by themselves.” He therefore believes his success stems from the mentorship he experienced from a young age. His father taught him the value of hard work, and all his professional mentors since have implanted the drive to work toward success in every area of life.

Justin Eberly ’14
Glatfelter Insurance Group
BSBA information technology
SU Marching Band

Justin Eberly is an Education and Training Specialist for VFIS, a subsidiary of the Glatfelter Insurance Group, responsible for the national delivery of educational and training programs, curriculum development, and information analysis. Eberly is an active Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and volunteer firefighter in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. He actively serves on the safety committee for an EMS agency. As an educator, he has served as adjunct faculty for emergency services at two technical colleges serving the South Central Pennsylvania region. Previously, he served as the assistant chief of a combination volunteer/career basic life support ambulance service.