After earning his bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a Business minor from the University of Illinois in 2019, Dan LaSota commissioned into the Army National Guard through the on-campus Army ROTC program. His military career led him to Fort Rucker, Alabama, where he trained as a helicopter pilot.
Before beginning his training, Dan worked for Walmart E-Commerce in Indianapolis. Although he had considered attending LER right after undergrad, he wanted to gain leadership experience first and fulfill his military obligations. During flight school, he decided to pursue his long-term goal of transitioning into HR. Unable to attend in person, he enrolled in the online Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations (MHRIR) program at Illinois.
“The online program worked perfectly well,” Dan said. “I started while I was still in flight school with the Army, and while my wife and I started a family with our firstborn son. The online program provides the flexibility needed for the busy professional.”
After completing his training, Dan leveraged the strength of the LER alumni network to land a position with General Mills in the company’s HR Business Associate Rotational Program. He began in Belvidere, Illinois, close to his National Guard base, and later moved to Covington, Georgia, for his second rotation, both of which were in manufacturing environments. After two and a half years with General Mills, he accepted a Plant HR Manager role with Milwaukee Tool in West Bend, Wisconsin, where he continues to work today.
Dan credits the program’s small class sizes, strong alumni connections, and career support for accelerating his growth. He appreciated the collaborative nature of the online format and the sense of community that extended beyond campus. “Having explored the on-campus program before, I understood the power of being connected to the LER Alumni Network,” he said. “I knew that I would still be welcomed into this group even though I was in the online program.”
He also recognized the significant impact of LER’s alumni network on his professional development. “The ability to readily be able to break the ice with alumni professionals while connecting on experiences with prior professors and classes made networking simple and comfortable,” he shared.
Dan says the program gave him both the knowledge and credibility to advance his career quickly. “The LER Program gave me the education and credentials to achieve my professional growth quicker than I would have been able to because of my military career,” he reflected.
For those considering the program, Dan encourages professionals to take advantage of its flexibility and support system. “If you are a busy professional and are clear on your goals to become an HR professional, then the online LER Program is right for you,” he said. He also credits LER’s Career Consultant Erin Mies with helping him clarify his goals and make meaningful professional connections along the way.