Meet Business Alum Alex Klever
When Alex Klever began his college career, he had no idea it would lead to him traveling across the country for one of the best internship opportunities of his life. Now, as graduation approaches, he wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Originally from LaMoure, North Dakota, Klever attended Northern State University in the Fall of 2020 as a freshman before transferring to VCSU in the Spring. He decided to transfer because of the community, the small class sizes, and the baseball program, which he joined and participated in during the 2019-2020 season. Due to an injury, Klever took a short break from athletics before joining the men’s golf team in 2021, where he still plays.
Despite the hardship and changes in his athletic career, Klever remained dedicated to his academics, but he took his time in deciding which career path to pursue. “I tried everything,” Klever said, “I was a history education major, I was a business major, back to history, back to business. So really, I took those opportunities because I was still trying to decide what I wanted to do professionally.” Klever eventually found his footing in the Business program, but according to him, the experiences and skills he gained in his education courses provided a solid foundation for his ability to thrive in the workforce.
Flexibility and communication are some of the most valuable assets a business professional needs to succeed in the field. Klever knows this first-hand, “The most valuable skills I learned were communication people skills. I like being around people and I like being around new people, and my education classes at VCSU really provided a solid foundation, and I learned open-mindedness and communication. Once I started in business it really took off from there. Things were much easier for me because I had those skills in my background.” The unique skillset he gained from his classes and his interest in business led him straight to his first internship.
After stepping away from baseball, Klever needed something to fill his time. With the support of VCSU career services, he blindly applied to a human resources internship in Gwinner, North Dakota for Bobcat in the summer of 2022. Luckily, he was accepted and started right away in the training department, where he managed the onboarding and orientation process for new hires. When asked about his experiences there, Klever explained, “I learned a lot about the real business side of things. As a student, you can only learn so much from your classes. Once you get out to the real world, you learn that it’s cut-throat and serious and you mature a lot faster with hands-on experience.” Klever’s internship continued into the Fall semester, where he learned to balance a full course load with an intense 40-hour work week. “It’s a lot, but I think if you really organize things and be serious about it, it is manageable.”
Not long after, Alex Klever was offered another incredible internship opportunity by Bobcat, only this time, it wasn’t so close to home. In February of 2023, only two months after completing his first internship in Gwinner, Klever was extended an offer to intern for Bobcat in North Carolina. Even though this opportunity was daunting, he accepted and moved down South in May.
“It changed my life. It taught me about the real world. I’ve lived in North Dakota all my life and it was all I knew. My second internship experience helped me grow and mature so much- emotionally, physically, mentally, professionally- It made me a more well-rounded person. I took that leap of faith, that jump to start fresh and pick a new direction on my own.”
North Carolina presented Klever with a wide variety of new experiences. His time with Bobcat allowed him to immerse himself not only in the world of business, but also in a whole new culture and climate. When he wasn’t putting in work at the internship, he was going to concerts, comedy shows, and sporting events. “Now that I’m back, all I want to do is travel and see new places! Now that I’ve had my internships and moved on my own, I’m not scared to do it again. I’m looking all over the country for new opportunities.”
Alex Klever, who graduated this spring, plans on jet setting to new and exciting business opportunities. When asked if he has any advice for students following in his footsteps, he had this to say: “I owe a lot to Valley City State University. The opportunities you are afforded there can lead you to so many new places.”