Hannah Pierson-Compeau

Hannah Pierson-Compeau to Receive Paul Ripley Award for Young Alumni

Hannah Pierson-Compeau was selected as the 2020 recipient of the Paul Ripley Award for Young Alumni. The award was established in 1994 and is presented to graduates who have enjoyed exceptional personal and professional success early in their careers, and who are involved with LSSU and/or the LSSU Alumni Association. She is married to Alexander Baum. They have one son, Isaac Baum.

Hannah attended and graduated from Lake State with a B.A. in Political Science and Communication in 2005. While a student, she was a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society, Political Science Club, Curriculum Committee, SAILS, and Honors Council. She graduated from Georgetown University with an M.A. in Communication, Culture, and Technology in 2007.

“The educational experience I gained at Lake Superior State prepared me for life outside the UP in ways I never imagined,” said Hannah. “The benefits of attending LSSU reached beyond what I expected; a small-school experience at a state university price, the location with easy access to Lake Superior, the opportunity to live and learn on an international border. Because of my LSSU experience, I’ve been able to educate numerous friends, acquaintances, and colleagues about the UP and Lake Superior, in addition to using the skills and knowledge I gained through seminars, field trips, research papers, and in-depth discussions in the classroom.”

Hannah is an active annual member of the LSSU Alumni Association and co-hosted an alumni meet-up in Washington, D.C. in 2017. Hannah is hopeful that she will be able to host another alumni event in D.C. in the future.

Professionally, Hannah has served as the Product Manager for American University in Washington, D.C since February 2019. She had this to say about how Lake State helped prepare her for her current position: “My classroom experience at LSSU fostered my critical thinking skills, which I use every day in my job as a product manager, helping my customers analyze and solve difficult problems. Because the faculty at LSSU (especially Drs. Johnson, Denger and Pingatore) never let us get away with giving an easy or obvious answer, I learned to challenge my assumptions and beliefs. I made a habit of looking beyond headlines to not only understand what is happening in the world, but why, and why we are (or are not) hearing about it.”

“The field of Product Management didn’t really exist when I was in school, but LSSU armed me with the skills needed to be an effective leader, a thoughtful communicator, a deep thinker, and a person who understands that we are interconnected, and responsible for each other,” said Hannah. “My LSSU experience equipped me not just for my career, but for my adult life, and I could not be more grateful.”

Prior to this position with American University, Hannah served as the institutions Business System Analyst.
Hannah has also worked for the National Democratic Institute, Creative Information Technology, Inc., Parker Tide Corp, and the Institute of International Education.

Outside of work, Hannah has given a commendable amount of time as a volunteer with the Washington Humane Society. She is a regular volunteer for the shelter, a foster family, along with volunteering at special events for the organization. She received the Outstanding Service Award for volunteer efforts at 2007 National Walk for the Animals. Hannah is an in-house trainer, and is working toward her Certified Professional Dog Trainer Certificate

Hannah appeared on the April 17, 2017 episode of the American television gameshow, Jeopardy.

Hannah will be formally honored as the 2020 recipient of the Paul Ripley Award for Young Alumni during next year’s Great Lake State Weekend in 2021.

 


LSSU Alumni Insurance Program

Did you know that the LSSU Alumni Association sponsors an Alumni Insurance Program as a service to our graduates? The program offers a variety of attractively priced insurance products, most of which are available to alumni, students, faculty and staff, as well as their spouses, domestic partners, parents, children, and siblings.

Life Insurance

Long-term protection with great rates and fantastic features. Coverage is available from $10,000 to $50 million.


Travel Insurance

Travel Medical and Trip Protection coverage is available for individuals or groups, for personal or business travel.


Long Term Care Insurance

Protect your assets from serious erosion while allowing access to quality care in the most appropriate and desirable setting.


Pet Insurance

Simple, customizable dog and cat insurance plans are available.


Special Event Insurance

Liability coverage up to $2 million is available for events lasting from a few hours to as much as 10 days.

Dental Insurance

COMING SOON Family dental coverage that provides a national network of dentists, online enrollment, and travels with you to any employer


ID Theft Protection

NEW! Protect yourself and your family against identity theft with a comprehensive solution you can count on.


Small Business Insurance

NEW! We offer an all-in-one simple solution that includes a selection of plans, employee enrollment, and ongoing administration.



Advisory Services

A licensed insurance professional is available, at no charge, to answer questions and provide customized guidance.


For more information visit Meyer and Associates or contact our Meyer and Associates program administrator at 1(800) 635-7801.