Alison Coleman: moving up the ranks at work, still fitting in softball

Alison Coleman

Bowdoin College, history major, sociology minor, graduated May 2009

Current hometown: Cambridge, Mass.

Age: 26

Live at home/rent/buy your own home? Rent

Current job? Client service manager at William Gallagher Associates (WGA). I advise employers on their employee benefits packages; I’ve been with WGA for three years.

Enjoy what you do? Yes. I have clients in various industries: legal services, nonprofit, bio tech, high tech. Currently, my job is quite exciting due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Our clients rely on us to advise them of the different provisions of the law and any changes or delays that may occur. My clients are really interesting, and a lot of them are working on some really innovative stuff. Through them, I get a little taste of what it’s like in other fields.

Major milestones the last four years: I moved to Boston/Cambridge to work at WGA in 2010. In 2012, I was promoted from a client service associate to a client service manager. Today, I manage my own book of business and am responsible for the day-to-day service of about 15 clients. I’ve also done a fair amount of traveling over the past few years. I’ve visited the UK and Brazil.

I still play on a couple of coed softball teams. The WGA team (my work team) just made it to the finals in our insurance league for the fifth year in a row, and my Sunday league team recently won our division. We’re getting trophies. We’re really excited 🙂

If you’re comfortable sharing, how much college debt are you still carrying? I’m not sure of the exact dollar amount. However, I can say that my loans are manageable, and the financial aid package I received from Bowdoin, the Joshua Chamberlain Leadership Scholarship specifically, made my education very affordable. Out of all of the schools I applied to, including state universities, Bowdoin was the most affordable choice for me.

So, the big question: Was it worth it? It was 100 percent worth it. I had so many great experiences at Bowdoin. I’ve learned so much and made great friends. The Bowdoin network is a great resource. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Is your job now related to your major? I would say that my job is not directly related to my history degree. However, I put the skills I developed while studying history to use every day: researching ideas, analyzing data and presenting an argument or a point of view in an effective, concise manner.

In my role, it’s imperative that I communicate effectively. My audience may not understand or even be interested in what I have to say, so I must explain complicated concepts (or even simple concepts, i.e. the difference between a copay and a deductible) in a simple and efficient way so that I make the most of the time I’ve been allotted.

Please finish this sentence: “When it came to college, my parents were right about . . .” My parents (and my teachers) were right about how difficult college courses are and how much effort they require. They were also right about how awesome it is.

And: “My parents were wrong about . . .” To tell you the truth, I can’t remember. I’d have to say I think my parents were right about almost everything.

What are you hoping for as you look out over the next 10 years? I hope to continue to grow professionally, not only in terms of titles and promotions. I’d like to continue to learn something new every day and feel like what I’m doing is valuable and fulfilling. In 10 years, I hope to be a role model and resource for the younger women in my life, whether it be my own children, co-workers, Bowdoin alumnae or other young women in my community, as they travel down their individual paths.

Grad school is something I haven’t seriously considered yet, but it’s always in the back of my mind.

Do you feel your college experience plays any role in those goals? Without a doubt.

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