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Keith Schomig ’13
Alumnus Builds New Life after Construction Injury
I
n 2009 Keith Schomig was a jour-
“I wear so many hats.”
president of one of them. He went
neyman union sheet metal worker,
on an international business trip to
a member of Local 265. He was in
construction helmet—but he does
Panama, and completed a strategic
his early 30s, a graduate of Minooka
keep it on a shelf in his office as a
planning internship through the
High School, and he had some
reminder of how far he has come.
USF Solutions Department. He and
community college classes under his
He has his wife Michaelene to thank
Michaelene attended USF football
belt but had no real plans to return
for getting the ball rolling on his
and basketball games, and cheered
to school. He had been working in
second career. She was the one who
for the Fighting Saints. They even
the trade since he was 19 or 20 and
encouraged him to enroll at USF.
went to the Homecoming Dance.
things were going fine.
‘Let’s go for a walk,’” he says. “We’d
do this, we’re going all-in,’” Schomig
a patch of frost. It was on the roof
take the dogs and walk past USF and
says. “I wanted the full college
at a job site, and it sent him flying.
she would go, ‘Wow, this is such a
experience.”
You know that saying, Your life can
beautiful campus.’ Then she would
change in an instant? Well, this was
hand me USF literature and give me
new start on life, and a new outlook.
Success Center and be prepared for
Schomig’s instant. He would never
little wifely nudges now and then.”
any opportunity that comes along,”
And then one day he stepped on
be able to work construction again.
The accident left him with a torn
labrum, a debilitating shoulder and arm injury. He underwent surgery, and then six months later he had to
One hat he no longer wears is his
“My beautiful wife would say,
“I told my wife, ‘If I’m going to
He definitely got it. He also got a “My education taught me that
“The education taught me that no matter what I was faced with I would be able to adapt and succeed,”
endure yet another surgery. For the
get involved, to go to the Career
Schomig says.
Schomig serves on the USF
Alumni Board, and has offered himself as a candidate for the presidentelect position of the board. It is safe to say that he is committed to USF,
next three years he would spend his
time in and out of physical therapy,
no matter what I was faced with
and could hardly be a bigger booster.
an open house on campus, and
I would be able to adapt and suc-
and dealing with workman’s com-
from that moment on, he was sold.
ceed,” he says. “I think that is what a
best things that ever occurred in my
pensation issues. He would have to
He started in 2011, as a full-time
liberal arts education gives you. You
life besides my wife and daughter,”
reinvent himself.
day student at the age of 33, and
get exposure to all aspects of a busi-
he says. Those are not just words. He
finished two years later with a
ness—not just one sector—and that
got the USF logo tattooed on his in-
Schomig says from his office in a
degree in Business Management.
makes you diverse and helps you
jured arm. He also purchased a brick
Chicago highrise.
become an asset.”
in the quad near the fountain for his
as the old man of the class,” he
wife. It says, “Michaelene, thank you
coordinator for Legacy Professionals
says. “But when I got there I felt the
prepared him for today’s competi-
for all your love and support.”
LLP, a mid-sized accounting firm with
warmth of the professors, especially
tive job market, and USF’s Career
offices in Chicago, Northwest Indiana
in the business school. They were
Success Center prepared him for his
whether they are a brick in a
and Minnesota. The firm specializes
there because they wanted to be
job search—running him through
courtyard, a tattoo, or a tattered
in audit, accounting and tax services
there—not because they had to.”
mock interviews, and helping him
old construction helmet covered in
to employee benefit plans, labor or-
refine his resume. The ISCPA career
stickers and some residual grime.
ganizations, not-for-profit organiza-
titude for himself, getting involved
fair, which USF participates in, is
tions, and governmental entities.
in everything he could—not just
where he found his current job.
who I am,” he says.
“I didn’t really have a choice,”
Today he is the human resources
“I’m responsible for recruiting,
Finally the two of them attended
“At first I was scared, going back
Schomig adapted this same at-
Schomig’s USF education
going to class and working toward
hiring, employee reviews and all
his degree with blinders on. He
USF had to offer, and when I go
“I took full advantage of what
other facets of HR,” he says.
got involved in clubs, and became
back to campus I tell students to
“St. Francis was one of the three
Reminders are important—
“It’s dirty, but it’s still a part of Now and forever, so is USF.
A Year of Respect • 2014-2015
11