Business Administration Major Eyes a Future In Finance

Growing up in the small town of Warren, IL, Ried Raisbeck didn’t know a lot of people who played sports at the collegiate level. Thanks to a hometown connection to Clarke  Instructor of Business Management B’Ann Dittmar, Ried found a way. 

“The football program was only in its second year and B’Ann thought I’d be a good fit at Clarke,” Ried said. “She was right for a lot of reasons. Football and a scholarship brought me here, but the classes and the people are why I stayed.” 

In his time at Clarke, Ried has been proud of how he’s developed as a leader, both on the field and off. He has earned Dean’s List and Heart of America Scholar-Athlete honors all four years. He’s joined Future Young Professionals and helped plan events on campus.  In 2023, Coach Adam Hicks named Ried to the football team’s Leadership Council for his senior year. 

“I am not the most outspoken person, but I lead by example and that is a big part of Coach Hicks’ Leadership Council,” Ried said. “It’s about accountability and showing up for your teammates and community. I’ve learned a lot about servant leadership and community involvement thanks to the program.” 

Ried has also flourished under B’Ann’s continued guidance as a Business Administration major. One of his favorite classes was Organizational Management, which is part of Clarke’s Early Access MBA program. Ried earned dual credit toward his undergraduate and graduate degrees while studying a topic that interested him. And thanks to his acceptance into the Clarke Scholars program, he was able to take his research in that course to the next level.  

“In Scholars, you have access to resources that let you take a deeper dive into the topics you care about. For example, I was able to add a project where I looked more closely at race and diversity in my life and in business, and how things like the Clarke Core Values can change those dynamics” Ried said. “Plus, Scholars offers a lot of social activities where you can spend time with other students and have meaningful conversations. It’s a great way to meet people and expand your world.” 

As part of his double emphasis in Finance and Management, Ried also completed an internship with Apple River State Bank in Galena, IL.  

“The internship was great because I always knew I had an interest in finance and this helped reaffirm my career choice,” Ried said. “I worked as a teller and job shadowed loan officers as they met with agriculture and business clients. I learned about how different aspects of banking are interconnected and I’m confident about going into the field after graduation.”  

Following commencement, Ried hopes to stay on at Apple River State Bank part-time as he completes his Master of Business Administration with Clarke and uses his final year of athletic eligibility with the Pride.