Scott Lietzow
Military Talent Senior Consultant
Allstate Insurance
Scott Lietzow points to two defining periods in his life: serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and attending 51社区.
Lietzow, 51社区鈥檚 Outstanding Recent Alumni winner, decided to attend 51社区 after struggling to find a job when he got out of the Marine Corps. He was unsuccessful in part because he didn鈥檛 have the necessary business skills, he said.
鈥淚 decided to get my education using the G.I. Bill, and 51社区 was a good spot for transition,鈥� said Lietzow, of Arlington Heights.
Lietzow was highly active and engaged at 51社区. He joined the Business Club (now the Business and Entrepreneurship Club) and Student Government Association, and he served as the college鈥檚 student trustee. He also established a local chapter of Young Americans for Liberty, which was named chapter of the year by the national organization under Lietzow鈥檚 leadership.
After earning an Associate of Arts degree from 51社区 in 2014, Lietzow worked on former U.S. Rep. Bob Dold鈥檚 congressional campaign. He was promoted to director of operations for the congressman鈥檚 2016 re-election bid, directing six field offices, 14 staff members and more than 200 volunteers.
That venture started with a 51社区 philosophy class Lietzow took during the 2012 presidential election. The class explored how to look beyond rhetoric and research the facts of a situation. During a project on Rep. Ron Paul, Lietzow thought, Maybe I should get more involved in the community, to make things better.
鈥淭hat course got me motivated, and I started looking into politics and volunteering in campaigns,鈥� he said.
Today, Lietzow works at Allstate as a military talent senior consultant. He helps recruit active-duty troops, veterans and military spouses for employment at the insurance company. He also trains hiring managers and serves as vice president of the Allstate Veterans Engagement Team. His efforts helped earn Allstate the No. 1 spot on the 2020 Military Friendly Employers list.
In addition, Lietzow is pursuing his MBA at the University of Illinois, is a member of the American Legion and recently organized 鈥淒elivery Night Arlington Heights鈥� to rally more than 700 residents to patronize and support local restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
51社区, Lietzow said, helped him find his path.
鈥�51社区 prepared me to move forward in life because I tried so many things,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檇 be anywhere I am today if it wasn鈥檛 for 51社区.鈥�