Daniel B. Albert ’96 chose Shenandoah because of the opportunity to play baseball at a university he felt was the right size for him. During Albert’s college experience, Shenandoah offered him many opportunities for personal growth. “For me, being challenged academically was important, but the long lasting lessons I learned in relation to diversity of students, their backgrounds and perspectives were important as well,” said Albert. “I learned a lot and would encourage all students to take the opportunity to experience all that SU offers. Your ability to excel in environments with many different backgrounds is a must in today’s world.”
Albert has many fond memories from his time at the university, including meeting his wife, Gwen Jones Albert ’97, the great experiences playing baseball, eating lunch in the old student center and many more. And, Albert feels he was very fortunate to have former Associate Professor of Kinesiology Sandra M. Lemoine as his adviser. “She was extremely supportive and really transformed the Kinesiology Department during her time,” said Albert. “Not only in academic offerings, but in opening opportunities for a wide array of career outlooks.”
While Albert tells everyone that Shenandoah today is very different from when he went to school there with the increased student population and campus expansion, he is impressed that even with all the growth that the campus feel and interactions with people still have the same small town feel that he loved about Shenandoah.
Now beginning his second career, Albert is the proud owner of a State Farm Insurance Agency in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania. Through education and building relationships, Albert works with people to find solutions to protect their overall quality of life. Albert finds it very rewarding to have started his own business after 18 years of serving as executive director of the Southside Virginia Family YMCA and the Greater Scranton YMCA. In using the foundation and skills from his non-profit background, he has successfully transitioned to the business world. Albert really enjoys meeting with each client, understanding their unique situations, and determining how he can assist them in managing risk.
Albert’s advice to students is: “Take it all in. Take advantage of each opportunity. Your ability to relate to others is paramount. The business world has become very transactional and internet-based. The only way to thrive and survive is to be able to cultivate relationships and differentiate yourself from others’ online presence.”