Derick Engelke graduated from Gillespie High School (GHS) in 2015, earning the John and Mark Madden Memorial Scholarship. The $500 award was deposited with Lindenwood University in St. Louis.
Derick, majoring in accounting, plans to graduate in May 2018 and follow up with a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).
"I am currently interning with Edward Jones, an investment firm, in Des Peres, Missouri," he reports. "I began my first intern position in December 2016, and have been able to secure internships in various departments over the past year. My main duties include phone details from clients about their Edward Jones investments and/or distributions. Working with such a large corporation has taught me many valuable lessons."
On the Lindenwood campus during his freshman year Derick became involved with a campus ministry which brought him many new friends. In addition, his membership in the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, has expanded his personal and professional network.
"I served as my fraternity's chapter treasurer during the 2016-17 school year," he says. "And I was recently elected to serve as chapter president during the 2017-18 year."
Studies, internships, and official posts are just part of Derick's rewarding college experience, however. "My membership in Delta Tau Delta has allowed me many exciting opportunities," he says, noting that "the most memorable one was being able to attend EVERY home Blues playoff game during the 2016 playoffs. I used my networking skills to gain this wonderful opportunity." A major highlight: "During the games when the Blues scored a goal, I was one of the people who ran up the aisles with a huge Blues' flag."
Blues hockey is a passion, but Cardinals baseball and "any level of football" also occupy
much of Derick's free time.
As his college days come to an end, Derick thanks The Partnership for the help which his
Partnership scholarship provided, noting "the money helped pay for books during my first semester at Lindenwood."
Once out of college, he plans to pursue a career in the accounting field in the St. Louis area "or wherever a great job opportunity takes me."
Derick is the son of Brian and Lisa Engelke of Gillespie.