A Shared Path to Leadership

Shannon Raap ’25 MSL and Jackie Vangilder ’25 are not only co-workers, they’re cohorts in educational advancement and leadership development.

They both work at Collins Aerospace in Cedar Rapids, but their story together begins in 2000, when they worked together at Alliant Energy. From the beginning, it was always a goal to pursue their degrees alongside one another. They first got their AA (Associate of Arts) at Kirkwood Community College, and from there, each had their eyes set on Mount Mercy University for their BA (Bachelor of Arts) in Human Resource Management and Business Management.

Committed to becoming stronger leaders, they both made the decision to advance their education and pursued their Master of Strategic Leadership (MSL) degrees at Mount Mercy while working full-time at Collins Aerospace.

“I wanted a program that would help me grow not only professionally, but also as a leader who can make a meaningful impact within my team and organization,” Jackie recalled.

“I was a new leader at the time,” Shannon added, “so the MSL degree provided me the opportunity to discover tools and skills that I needed to be successful in my role.”

But what stood out the most about the MSL degree to both Shannon and Jackie was the opportunity to become stronger leaders together—holding one another accountable and motivating each other along the way.

Jackie described it as having a “built-in support system.” She said the program was not easy by any means, but it became much more manageable with the consistent encouragement and constant support of a friend. They would work on projects together, ask clarifying questions, and practice presentations, collaborating towards the same goal.

Shannon and Jackie were not the only two Collins employees who went through the program together. Another coworker completed her MSL alongside them, and yet another joined them in a few graduate courses while completing her bachelor’s degree as part of the MMU Plus program.

“By developing a group, we were able to push each other when needed,” Shannon explained. “It was helpful to know I always had someone who would help me when I was frustrated or remind me of an upcoming project.”

While completing their master’s, both women have taken on new leadership roles at Collins Aerospace. Shannon currently serves as the Senior Manager for test equipment and Jackie serves as a Senior Analyst in the procurement department.

“During my time at Mount Mercy, I went from an individual contributor to a senior supervisor, to a manager, to now a senior manager,” Shannon said. “Having a master’s degree set me up for this continued growth and prepared me to be successful.”

“Having a master’s degree set me up for this continued growth and prepared me to be successful.” —Shannon Raap '25 MSL

Although Shannon and Jackie don’t directly work together at Collins, they still reach out to each other for support when needed. When asked if they would recommend co-workers going through this program together, Shannon and Jackie both said “yes” without hesitation. The power of being a team helped lead to their success.

Shannon and Jackie explained how working together, they felt like they could accomplish anything.

For those looking to pursue a master’s degree in business at MMU, Jackie offers some advice.

“Just do it!” she stated. “Mount Mercy does an amazing job of supporting students to balance their educational goals, work life, and home life, making it possible to succeed on all fronts.”