Paying it Forward
Like many alumnae, Renee Schultz ’92 has been inspired to give back to Saint Mary’s College to help the next generation of women enjoy the kind of success she has achieved.
Renee’s education gave her the skill set to build her impressive career. While she was at Saint Mary’s, economics professor Jerry McElroy assisted Renee in securing a summer internship at a mortgage company. This internship helped to launch Renee’s career in the mortgage industry. She is now the Senior Vice President of Capital Markets at Fannie Mae.
Inspired by the doors that Professor McElroy opened for her, Renee wanted to offer opportunities to students and established an externship at Fannie Mae for Saint Mary’s students over fall or spring breaks. After completing the externship, students can complete a summer internship with Fannie Mae’s own program with the potential for employment after graduation.
“My parents laid the foundation to who I am as a person, and Saint Mary’s prepared me to use those family values for the career that laid ahead,”
Ten students have participated since the externship began in spring 2017, including five who participated in virtual internships in the summer of 2020. Students meet with women leaders in the company and learn about positions and the industry. Two recent graduates have been hired by Fannie Mae for their first job after Saint Mary’s.
“Housing is the backbone of our economy,” Renee said. “It’s important to encourage women to explore traditionally male-dominated fields.”
After Professor McElroy’s passing, Renee established an endowed scholarship in his name at Saint Mary’s and has set up a bequest to maximize the impact of her gift.
“My parents laid the foundation to who I am as a person, and Saint Mary’s prepared me to use those family values for the career that laid ahead,” Renee said. “It is now time for me to give back to others who may not have the same family support, financial means and/or encouragement to stretch their imaginations of who they can become and what they can achieve.”
