Sydney Connolly, a Dubuque native, had grown up hearing about Cottingham & Butler within the community. In 2019, Sydney decided to apply for the summer internship program, having heard from a number of peers about their positive experiences.
“What drew me to C&B were the opportunities. I struggled with choosing a major in college and deciding what I wanted to do after graduating. The insurance industry was the last thing on my mind, but C&B seemed like a place that would let you create your own path forward and would allow for continuous growth.”
The internship gave Sydney a crash course in the complex industries of insurance and wellness, as well as an introduction to the unique culture of Cottingham & Butler. In 2020, Sydney interned once again, eager to continue exploring what the company had to offer.
Following her graduation, Sydney came on-board full-time as a Benefits Technology Analyst, where she helps implement benefit administration systems for clients, leveraging her innovative sensibility and attention to detail to ensure accurate information is available to employees and employers alike.
“The most satisfying thing about this job is getting to develop relationships with our clients and working with them and the rest of the benefits team to come up with creative solutions to solve their problems.”
Sydney attributes a good portion of her professional development to the people that have surrounded her from day one. “Starting your first professional job out of school is intimidating, but the team you’re surrounded with gives you an unmatched network of support and mentorship that encourages success and independence,” Sydney said.
“It’s great to see the innovative things C&B does to help our clients, but it’s even great that they give you the skills and tools you need to become part of that innovation process where you feel like you’re really making an impact.”
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