October 7, 2014
SVSU student impresses Quicken Loans CEO during internship
Rosalie Stackpole knows how to seize opportunity. As one of 1,000 summer interns for Quicken Loans, she was determined to seek out new challenges.
“I went in with the attitude that I’m here for a reason,” Stackpole said. “I would speak up at meetings.”
Only a few weeks into the summer, Stackpole received a rare opportunity for an intern: she was part of a team that prepared a marketing campaign proposal they presented directly to Quicken’s CEO.
“I was intimidated at first,” she said.
Anxiety was replaced with confidence – and a lot of assignments – after Stackpole’s team saw their idea endorsed, impressing the company’s leader.
“It was a real pleasure having Rosalie with us this summer,” said Jay Farner, president and CEO of Quicken Loans. “Her enthusiasm and passion is a great representation of the exceptional work we’ve seen from our interns, and we are thrilled to have had as big an impact on her as she has had on Quicken Loans.”
Stackpole made such an impression that Quicken asked her to recruit other SVSU students with the intelligence and work ethic she displayed. While completing her marketing degree, Stackpole remains on the payroll as a campus ambassador, and she is organizing a bus trip for 50 students to visit Quicken headquarters Friday, Oct. 10.
“I tried to sell SVSU while I was there,” she explained. “I’m a Cardinal. That’s what we do.”
In addition to introducing around 1,000 interns to the company each year, Quicken also seeks to sell them on the revival of Detroit.
“It worked on me,” Stackpole said.
Born and raised in the Detroit suburb of Trenton, Stackpole’s parents had reservations about their daughter working in downtown Detroit, but she assured them that their fears were unfounded.
“I walked from Cobo Hall every day and I felt completely safe,” she said. “Quicken expects their interns to work hard and put in long hours, but they also want you to enjoy Detroit.”
Stackpole participated in the “Live Downtown” games, where several companies sponsor employees to compete in socially responsible contests. She was part of a team that raced to see who would be the fastest to fill 500 emergency baskets for the American Red Cross; they won.
“We have actual gold medals,” Stackpole said.
On pace to graduate with her SVSU business degree next May, Stackpole was selected for SVSU’s Vitito Global Business Leadership Institute, an 18-month leadership development program with international travel for SVSU business students. She also remains heavily involved on campus as a manager for the women’s basketball team and a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority.
Stackpole hopes her current assignment with Quicken leads to an opportunity to work for the company full-time.
“I learned a lot about mortgages,” she said, “and I fell in love with Quicken Loans.”