Finding Purpose at Albers: Lars Kaser's Path from High School Participant to Campus Mentor

For finance major Lars Kaser ('27), the Albers School of Business and Economics has been more than a classroom; it's been a launchpad for global leadership and community impact.

Lars's journey with Albers began well before his undergraduate years. At age 14, he participated in the Summer Business Institute (SBI) as a high school student.

"After my experience with SBI, I knew SU was the right place for me. With both of my parents having completed their graduate programs here, continuing my education in a community rooted in Jesuit values just felt like the natural next step."

Paying It Forward: From High School Participant to Mentor

This summer, Lars came full circle, returning to SBI as a peer counselor to lead a new group of high school students through the same program that first drew him to Seattle U.

Reflecting on how the institute evolved, Lars noted the expansion of corporate access for young scholars:

"Back then, we went to local small businesses. The scale that it is now is insane. When we took the students out, we were going to Amazon, KPMG, Climate Pledge Arena and T-Mobile."

Through classroom sessions covering foundational business tools like SWOT analyses followed by real-world site visits, high school students began making direct connections between academic concepts and professional career paths.

"Often, students go to college simply because it feels like the expected path. But programs like SBI help them understand why they're pursuing higher education. They realize how to navigate college intentionally: how to secure meaningful internships and find companies that align with their personal values."

Expanding Horizons: The European Study Tour

Lars's commitment to experiential learning continued through Albers' global study programs. During the European study tour, he traveled across major financial and business hubs, including Frankfurt, Bonn, Amsterdam, Brussels and Barcelona, visiting leading firms such as KPMG, PwC, Deloitte, Expeditors and PACCAR's European subsidiary, DAF.

Comparing the corporate culture between European companies and U.S. markets provided Lars with actionable insights into international strategy and regulatory landscapes. At DAF, for example, he observed how EU sustainability regulations spurred rapid development in electric transport trucks compared to domestic models.

Beyond company visits, the tour provided valuable lessons in cross-cultural communication and relationship-building.

"The site visits made global business feel tangible. At DAF, we saw firsthand how EU environmental policy shaped truck manufacturing, and at T-Mobile in Germany, their security team walked us through real cybersecurity compliance cases. Connecting directly with employees at every level, from entry-level interns to executive leadership, helped me see how classroom lessons like SWOT analyses directly map to real-world strategy at firms like KPMG."

Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders

Back on campus, Lars serves as Program Coordinator and TA for the Albers Undergraduate Leadership Program (UGL). Working alongside Dr. Bryan Ruppert, he helps guide first- and second-year students as they build leadership skills, lead campus initiatives and step into executive roles across Albers student organizations.

For Lars, guiding younger students is deeply personal because his own confidence was hard-won. Arriving at Seattle University at just 16 years old, the thought of networking was overwhelming. It wasn't until he joined UGL and participated in the European study tour that he pushed past his anxiety and learned how to build meaningful relationships.

"Learning how to network is the biggest skill I learned from SU."
- Lars Kaser

"When I first got here, I hated networking and avoided orientation events. What changed everything for me was learning to talk to professionals about who they are as human beings, rather than just immediately asking, 'How do I get a job?' That shift in mindset transformed how I connect with people."

Today, Lars comfortably engages with industry experts, whether discussing market trends or simply chatting about sports for 30 minutes. As he prepares for law school and a future career in finance or banking, he views this ability to build genuine connections as his greatest asset, one he actively passes on to the students he guides.

Know a high school student curious about business? Learn more about the Summer Business Institute. Already at Albers? Explore student life, from clubs and study tours to career support.