彩民宝典

Co-President, CESR Fellows听

Renner Skidmore balances life as a college student while being a professional skier鈥攁nd that might not even be the most interesting thing about him.听

Consider that last year, he elected to spend his summer traveling solo in South America because he didn鈥檛 feel like the Spanish classes he took in high school actually taught him the language. As you read this, he鈥檚 summering in Japan鈥攑art mountain climbing, part study abroad program, part global internship鈥攂efore heading to Argentina to record himself skiing.

鈥淏eing on my own for the summer was incredible鈥擨 had nothing holding me back from just being completely curious,鈥� he said. He even tried to teach English for a month in Bolivia, 鈥渂ut I think I learned more Spanish than they did English,鈥� he said.

A studious skier

Talking to Renner, you might see a carefree world traveler and skier. But he鈥檚 actually intensely driven, choosing to study at Leeds for the access to skiing as much as for the academic rigor of the business program. Alongside his focus on information management and business analytics, he鈥檚 pursuing a certificate in social responsibility and ethics, a computer science integration and a philosophy minor.听

鈥淭he more I learn, the less I know,鈥� he said with a laugh. 鈥淲hat I鈥檓 trying to get out of school is a broad set of skills, especially with respect to data and computers, so I can make the case for businesses as they transition to more sustainable models and practices.鈥�

At Leeds, Renner is both co-president of CESR Fellows鈥攖he student club of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility鈥攁s well as a member of the center鈥檚 advisory board, where he鈥檚 had opportunities to meet professionals working in sustainability and ensure the younger generation鈥檚 voice is heard in those high-level conversations.听

鈥淚 believe the business community will be a key tool in driving change toward a sustainable future鈥攅specially at a time when our government is so polarized,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I wanted to study business.鈥澨�

Skiing meets sustainability

That drive for sustainability comes from his love of the slopes, where some of his favorite runs鈥攅specially Beartooth Basin, in northern Montana鈥攈ave been unable to open on schedule due to changing weather in the mountains. Renner鈥檚 first time on skis came as an 18-month-old in Utah, but it truly became a passion in Montana where, as a 5-year-old, he went from the most beginner to most advanced groups within a week. 听

However, he admits to some frustration as his passion becomes a project. Representing Nordica and Sweet Protection, he said, 鈥渕eans I can fund my skiing with my skiing. However, it鈥檚 hard to dedicate so much time on my skis to creating media, instead of just skiing.鈥澨�

Wherever his skis may take him, Renner said turning pro has made him a better business student.听

鈥淚 took a gap year, when I kicked off being a sponsored athlete鈥攁nd promoting myself, doing outreach, sending emails, all helped me gain a lot of skills for self promotion, creating a social media presence and marketing, which is helpful in a lot of my classes,鈥� he said.

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