University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior Paige Altmann is the Business Manager for The Racquet Press and will be graduating in December 2021. She recalled her experience in choosing UWL, “I toured quite a few schools and UW-Madison was originally where I wanted to go, more so because of the prestige and hype of UW-Madison. But, when I toured UW-La Crosse, it just felt like I was meant to be here. Just the overall vibe and atmosphere when I was walking around campus, and I think I toured in fall so it was the perfect moment to come see [campus],” said Altmann.  

Altmann is very involved and said she is in tune with her environmental surroundings. “I like being outside and going hammocking and hiking. I really like the beach in the summer,” Altmann said. She said she was even interested in pursuing a career and spending her time at school, in some field related to the environment. A field that Altmann connects herself with is the field of marine biology.  

“The water is like my home. I love the water,” Altmann said. “I was in Florida on vacation, and I was swimming with dolphins. I was kind of like, ‘Oh, I want to be a marine biologist.’”Altmann is a business management major. When asked why she chose business management Altmann said, “I am not sure. I have tried other things, I even thought about doing marine biology. I decided that none of that was for me.”

She said coming to the decision of being a business major took some time. “When I came to La Crosse, I kind of started as an undeclared business major. Then I thought that maybe I didn’t want to do this [business major] since I was in numerous GenEd classes, trying out numerous subjects. Eventually, I got back to business and decided to go for business management,” says Altmann. 

Altmann said she enjoys working with other people. “I feel I like to deal with people a lot,” said Altmann. Along with currently working in customer service at Target, Altmann has worked numerous other jobs. “I used to work at Crooked Pint, and I worked at Neshonoc Lakeside Campground. I also did international payroll support at Fastenal in Winona,” Altmann said. “[At Fastenal] I had three different countries, China, Guam, and Puerto Rico, and I was in charge of processing payroll for the different branches in those countries.”  

When asked why she applied for The Racquet Press, she said, “My friend Maija, who also works for The Racquet, was looking for somebody that was in the business field. That person happened to be me,” Altmann said. As for her tasks as the Business Manager at The Racquet Press, Altmann said, “I do the budget stuff along with going to meetings and talking with SUFAC [Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee].”  

Looking towards the future, Altmann said, “I am not really sure. I am still trying to figure that out. I have applied to a couple of different places for full-time jobs after college; but right now, I am kind of thinking maybe account management, like sales. Otherwise, some type of sales within the finance sector, at banks for example,” Altmann said. “[I am looking to] help people decide what financial services are right for them.” Lastly, Altmann said, “I feel like I really want to help find a solution for people [financially].”  

During her time at UWL, Altmann’s experiences can be summed up best in one word: patience. From taking her time deciding which major she wanted to pursue to working numerous jobs to get an understanding of her field and what she wanted to do after college, Altmann took her time deciding what was right for her. This patience can also be seen in Altmann’s enjoyment of knitting.

Altmann gave advice to current and future students. “Take your time in figuring out what you want to do and know that there isn’t a rush. I have some friends that graduated a semester late; I have some friends that graduated on time; I have some friends that went to three different colleges. Everybody has their own path. So, figure out what yours is and follow it.”

Gallery • 3 Photos

Photo taken by Henry Anderson.

Paige Altmann.