Senior / Alumni Spotlights

Hannah Heise '17

Hannah Heise '17

Hannah Heise is currently a Senior Safety Professional supporting Engineering Services, Security, and Horticulture at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. In this role, Hannah works alongside teams to continuously improve their safety processes and creatively solve problems. In addition to her Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety & Health Management from GVSU, Hannah is also working towards a Master’s degree in Human Factors Psychology from the University of Idaho and is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP). While she has many years of experience working for Disney, Hannah also has a background in manufacturing, working for Amway and an EHS consulting company.

“My first exposure to safety as a potential career was when I was in high school. My dad worked for BP for most of his career - he had a team of safety professionals and industrial hygienists who reported to him and many responsibilities related to safety himself. When I was 16 and starting to think about college, he told me he thought safety would be a great career for me, especially as more and more women were getting into the field. I distinctly remember my response to that suggestion, which was “no thanks, that sounds boring”. If I had only known then all of the adventures that a career in safety would send me on, especially as someone who now works in a theme park - rollercoasters are never boring! After switching my major a few times in my first semester at GVSU, I discovered the OSH program and remembered what my dad had told me. I decided to give it a shot and found a place at GVSU that was the perfect fit for me. The OSH program has small class sizes that offered a really personalized approach to learning and professors that got to know me as a person and offered individualized support. It is also a program that was heavily focused on what comes after college and how to set us all up to excel in our careers. Dave Huizen was not only a great professor, but an incredible advisor as well. He helped me secure my first internship at the Amway Manufacturing Headquarters in Ada, which gave me the experience and confidence I needed to get an internship at Disney my senior year.

When I talk to students now, I tell them that safety is a great career for people who are naturally curious, who enjoy sharpening their technical skills, and who have the desire to work closely with others. The OSH program at GVSU helped me grow in those areas gave me the best start to my career that I could ask for. My biggest piece of advice to college students and new graduates is simple: Ask a million questions. To me, there is no such thing as too many! Please know that no one expects you to know everything and don’t put the pressure on yourself to do it all without help. There are people who want to help you! I wouldn’t be where I am without the dozens of people who’ve helped guide me (and still do!).”

 

We love hearing from our alumni, if you are interested in being highlighted, please send a photo of yourself, a short bio, and a statement outlining how you think your GVSU OSH Degree assisted you in your career, to [email protected].

Interest Area(s)
Occup Safety/Health Mgmt, Psychology

Share this spotlight

Return to the listing of senior / alumni spotlights.



Page last modified December 13, 2024