WHO WE ARE

Who is Bonnie Jo? Can you share a bit about yourself?

Neither of my parents had a college degree, and I wasn’t expected to go to college after high school. I ended up getting a producer’s license to sell life, health, property and casualty insurance in the state of Minnesota and worked at an insurance agency for a number of years. After having my first child and being pregnant with my second, I knew I wanted to be able to provide more for my kids, so I decided to go to college to get the formal education I knew I would need.

I started at my local community college earning my A.A.S in Business Management and Marketing, and eventually transferred to Metropolitan State University after rediscovering my love of math. I was a full-time working parent, and the evening classes offered at Metro State worked best for my schedule. While I may have been a few years behind some of my peers, I was so proud that I earned my B.S. in Applied Mathematics within a few days of turning 30. Today, I am Director, Actuarial and Analytics at Travelers.

What initially drew you to the Travelers EDGE® Program?

I was particularly interested in working at Travelers because of their local presence. I grew up about an hour outside of St. Paul, so I was well aware of the company. After I heard about the Travelers EDGE® program, I was, of course, interested in the scholarship aspect as a relief from the financial burden of tuition. However, I was particularly interested in the networking and how that would help me achieve my goals.

The program was like a dream come true. I was over-the-moon after hearing that I was selected for the program. It was like I could see all of the doors that were going to open up for me, and I was willing to put in the work to make it happen. Throughout the program, I was able to connect to mentors, attend job shadows and gain hands-on experience through an internship with the company.

What aspects of Travelers EDGE were most beneficial to you in preparing for your role at the company?

I know there are a lot of other college students who, like I did, have financial obligations like housing, childcare, family, etc. Learning to flip my mindset from “I can’t make this work because…” to “How can I make this work?” continues to help me in my career and life.

I had to decide whether I would continue working at the place I’d worked full-time for over seven years, or take the opportunity to gain skills through a Travelers EDGE internship, knowing that I would be without employment in my final semesters of school after my internship. Through the scholarship, I was able to work through the finances. My internship was one of the most pivotal points in my educational experience. I gained industry connections, mentors, hands-on experience and real feedback on skills I could continue improving. Whenever I talk to students who are considering an internship experience today, I always recommend they try because of how incredibly valuable it was for me.

How did the program support you along the way?

My Travelers EDGE mentor was an excellent resource for me to be able to talk through balancing home, work, school and my career aspirations. We were able to talk through many scenarios in my journey so I could make the best decision for me and my family each step of the way. We have stayed in touch for all of these years, and I will forever be grateful for her mentorship.

The career support given by managers, mentors, colleagues and other Travelers EDGE graduates during my time in the program gave me the confidence I needed to know I can achieve anything, as long as I’m willing to keep putting in the work, learning and improving.

What advice would you give to individuals considering applying to Travelers?

It can be easy to focus too narrowly on a particular job or title that you’re interested in. For anyone interested in applying to Travelers, I would recommend they make sure when they’re searching for roles that they keep the search broad. Focus more on the skills you have and what skills you want to learn. Since Travelers is such a big company, there are a lot of different opportunities to leverage your experience and gain new skills. Don’t overlook chances to do that.