There is a certain dapper gentleman who has repeatedly been spotted on campus here at Minnesota School of Business-Richfield (MSB) sporting a well fitted suit and tasteful tie. He isn’t from headquarters, and he isn’t a staff member or an instructor. He is soon-to-be business administration program graduate Kareen Teague.
Kareen Teague
Kareen will be graduating this quarter with an associate degree. He plans to attend Concordia College in the fall to pursue another degree in health science. Why study both business and health? “I wanted to gain a better understanding of business strategies first so I can eventually open up my own health and wellness business. I thought the business administration program would help prepare me,” Kareen explains.
Kareen says that he knew he would attend MSB right after high school graduation. “I toured the Plymouth campus, and I really liked the smaller class sizes,” he says. But first, he decided to join the Marines.
Kareen spent four years serving our country. He has been stationed in North Carolina, Washington, Florida and California. In 2008 Kareen was deployed to Iraq, and in 2011 he was sent to Afghanistan. “Iraq was hot, sandy and kind of boring—we were just starting to pull out, and things were really routine. The first sand storm was interesting to see though! Afghanistan was a lot more action,” he says. Kareen served as an Aviation Ordinance Technician, handling explosives and weapons controls for aircraft.
After he was discharged, Kareen decided to utilize the military’s Yellow Ribbon Program to fund his education. He charted out his path: first business school, then a health degree, then his own yoga studio, gym or consulting firm. Given that he was now living in nearby Bloomington, Kareen chose the Richfield campus of MSB.
“I’ve had a lot of good instructors at MSB. The instructors and the students make for a good ‘community’ feel. The staff really cares about the students. I’ve attended other colleges where they just try to push you through—you’re just another face in the crowd. It’s good to know someone cares about you,” says Kareen.
He adds that Business Program Chair Jason Kriegel has been an excellent resource for business. Kareen says, “The feedback I’ve received has been really helped. The staff here are willing to contribute to the success of its students. It’s a quality there—there is caring and understanding involved in the process.”
So, why show up to class sporting a suit day after day? Kareen says it started with a Professional Communications class presentation he had to do. He donned his suit and liked how it inspired him. “I liked how it made me feel, how it made me look. I like suits; I like how I look in suits. You feel more confident and sophisticated. It puts me in a more professional mindset. If you are in sweatpants and a hoodie, you feel lazy; but if you look the part, you feel motivated,” Kareen states.
Dress for the job you want to have: solid advice, Kareen. We bet the next time we see you in a suit; you’ll be the owner of your very own business (or maybe you’ll be wearing yoga pants?).
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