Bella Leach is currently working full time at Marine Credit Union (MCU) in member services and is also interning at MCU as part of her degree program at Moraine Park Technical College, where she is studying business administration. Although originally planning to study nursing, after working in management at Walgreens, she said, “I really like leading others. I liked seeing people grow and I liked seeing I could have an impact on others.”
Bella said her interest in leadership began after her manager at Walgreens saw potential in her and believed in her.
Bella’s internship at MCU includes completing small tasks in several different departments including human resources and accounting. She said she isn’t sure yet what area of leadership she plans on going into … so she is grateful to be able to get a taste of different areas in the organization.
In addition to the extra responsibilities of the internship, Bella also works full time at a Member Service Representative 2. “When I moved back from South Dakota,” she shared, “I still worked at Walgreens.” Needing a change, she said she put in her two weeks’ notice and took a little break. About a month later, she was contacted by MCU after her resume was noticed online. “It seemed like a nice position,” she said. “I thought it would be temporary. As I work here, it feels more like a permanent position for me.”
“My new boss,” she continued, “is super motivational and she sees potential in me. She is amazing as a friend and a boss. She lets me know when I’m doing a good job and had a big part in this internship. Her believing in me helps me to believe in myself.”
“MCU is very likely to hire within and grow the employees they have,” Bella continued. “I put value in their mission.”
Bella shared that after being contacted by MCU initially, she found they donate regularly to the Humane Society in her town. Not only that, “They care about the people they serve and the employees. I could see that.”
Although Bella said that working with members is “incredible”, she added that she would eventually love to work at home and get her interactions with coworkers. “It would be sad to leave members as I am really connected with some of them since starting here a year ago.” She added that she enjoys being at home and that her dogs are at home and she really misses them. “I’m introverted. Being around a lot of people,” she said can be a bit exhausting for her.
But … she really enjoys the company of her “girls” Taylor, a seven-year-old chocolate lab bred by her family, and Baily, a black lab mix found running in the snow in a field in South Dakota.
Other than spending time on walks with her dogs, Bella shared she enjoys reading and kayaking around her grandparents’ cabin in Sparta, Wisconsin, and spending time with her family.
