After playing tennis at Stevenson High School in Livonia, Michigan, Erin Mazzoni ’07 considered choosing a university with a Division 1 athletics program.

Still, an affinity for travel left her wanting more. A global education program at Stevenson had allowed Mazzoni to travel with classmates.  She also had visited Scandinavia and lived abroad with her family, and her parents instilled in her an appreciation of travel.

As a result, Mazzoni chose Kalamazoo College partly for its nine-month study abroad opportunities. It turned out to be an excellent decision because the K-Plan allowed her to pursue travel, collegiate athletics, career opportunities, and impactful relationships with peers.

In other words, she could be more than just a number.

“Ultimately, I chose K to do more than tennis,” Mazzoni said. “I could concentrate on my studies and meet people who see the world through different lenses. K offered me the ability to do all these things, and have meaningful connections with other students.”

While majoring in economics with a concentration in environmental studies, Mazzoni:

• completed an externship in London, at Jefferies & Co., a global investment-banking firm, with Matt Bunkowski ’00
• spent a summer in Washington, D.C., interning at the U.S. Senate with Chris Adamo ’99
• served as a president of the Student Commission
• studied abroad at the London School of Economics, where she met people from all over the world, including her husband, Nick.

Each of these ventures contributed to her first professional opportunity when she became a research analyst with Jefferies & Co. in New York within a few months of graduation. While in New York in 2008, she created the Hornet Happy Hour alumni get-togethers. The Alumni Engagement team continues the tradition in cities throughout the country.

Today, Mazzoni lives in Washington, D.C. and works at Under Armour as a senior manager on the financial planning and analysis team, focusing on product profitability and merchandising.

K is the “liberal arts through and through,” she said, adding that the College allowed her to collaborate in small classes, find confidence, and work with people different from her. “I have a hard time seeing how I could’ve been who I am today without K.”

Mazzoni’s relationship with Kalamazoo College continues and she visits frequently. She is the president of the College’s Alumni Association Executive Board, connecting her with K’s Board of Trustees as an ex-officio member. In addition, she was the fall 2017 keynote speaker at Convocation, which welcomes incoming first-year students to campus.

“My time is a large part of how I give back,” she said. “The opportunities I continue to have as an alumna have allowed me to share positive experiences with other alumni and help them learn how they can give back, too. I’m excited about the future of K and I will always be one of its biggest advocates.”