Alumni Connections: Where are they now? Francis Beaumier ’09

Name: Francis Beaumier
Graduation Year: 2009 (Undergraduate) & 2017 (Graduate)
Major(s): Computer Science & Spanish (Undergraduate) / Liberal Studies(Graduate)
Current location: Green Bay, WI
Current employer: St. Norbert College and Brunette Tax & Accounting

Honors Fellow, James Cullen, recently caught up with SNC graduate AND current employee, Francis Beaumier. St. Norbert College is lucky to have Francis back on campus as a highly trained employee, who in addition to this many skills, exemplifies the word communio in is his interactions with colleagues and students alike.

 What is your main job responsibility at SNC?

“My main job is that of Integration Developer. In a nutshell, this position is in charge of the magic that takes place behind the scenes that makes changes in one place show up in another. For example, if you are accepted as a student, a computer account should automatically be created for you. I also moonlight as a tax preparer at Brunette Tax & Accounting. I find it a nice counterbalance to the sometimes chaotic world of IT.”

 What led you to this point in your post-graduate life?

“A long and winding road of small steps. After undergrad, I did a year of service in the Norbertine Volunteer Community. If you’re thinking you might want to try something like this, go for it! It’s definitely not for everyone, but it does give you a chance to give back and allows you some time for reflection as you continue to discern your path in life. From there, a job opened up at St. Norbert doing user support. I enjoyed doing similar stuff as a student employee, so I jumped at the chance to go full time. For a number of reasons, I was ready to move on after a while. (Be kind to your IT guy – user support can be a tiring job!) Luckily, Brown County Library had an open IT Librarian position. I have no formal library training (although my dad was a librarian…), but they were looking to place a heavier emphasis on the IT part of the job anyway, so we figured we could make it work. I liked the idea of getting to work on a wide variety of tasks and the opportunity to make a difference in the community. As the job morphed and changed, it became too leadership-focus for my taste (I’m much more effective “on the ground” and not at the 50ft view!), so I started looking for my next adventure. In 2019, I learned that anyone could take a tax prep class for free (sorta … they charge for the textbook) from H&R Block. I took the class just because I felt that it would be good info to know. Eventually, I realized that tax prep really “clicked” for me and was pretty compatible with how my (autistic) mind works. Through a St. Norbert connection, I got hired on part-time to do tax prep at Brunette Tax & Accounting. They liked me so much that they brought me on full-time as an Accountant/IT guy earlier this year. But oddly enough, shortly after that happened, St. Norbert posted the Integration Developer position. I figured I was at a bit of a crossroads: I could continue to stay out of IT with the understanding that the more time that passed, the harder it would be to get back in or I could give IT one last shot. Furthermore, this was an opportunity to really leverage my Computer Science degree for the first time. Being in this situation was eye-opening, and I felt that I really interviewed right for the first time. Since I was genuinely on the fence about the SNC job until the 11th hour, I asked lots of questions to make sure I knew what I was getting into. Not being desperate for a job, I also was pretty upfront about areas where I would need to learn more. If you ever have the opportunity to interview for a job that you’re not sure you want, take the interview – it’s very enlightening! Anyway, it’s amazing how many things in life seem like they’re “either/or” when really there’s a third “both/and” option. I was able to stay on part-time at the tax office while also landing my dream job back at SNC.”  

 Was it planned?

“Not at all. Aside from the volunteer community, where I knew I only had 11 months, there were moments at all of my jobs where I thought I’d be there forever. Knowing when to stay and when to move on is more of an art than a science. It requires careful consideration of your financial situation (Can you gimp along without a paycheck or do you need to land another job first?), your responsibilities (Do you have a family or partner who depends on you? On the other hand, maybe you’ve got few expenses in your life and you know your parents can help you out over a short-term financial hurdle in the worst case.), and your willingness to take risks. But losing both parents as early as I did (I lost dad in 2017 and mom in 2019) really drove home the fact that life is short and sometimes you just have to jump on the opportunities that present themselves.”

 What does a typical day look like at your job?

“If you’re looking for an IT job with a typical day, you’re probably in the wrong field. Unless you have an ultra-specialized role, every day will be different. I’m also quite new to my job at SNC, so I’m far from settling into anything typical. That said, there will be meetings, project time, learning time, and time spent responding to support tickets. The hard part is knowing what to work on when and knowing when you need to re-evaluate that.”

 What do you enjoy the most about your job?

“I love the opportunity to constantly take on new integration challenges. Every programming challenge is a fun adventure. And that moment when it all works is amazing!”

 What challenges have you faced and/or your biggest surprise since leaving SNC?

“I think losing both my parents was definitely my biggest challenge. Nothing can quite prepare you for that and it really puts into perspective what’s important and worth worrying about. I spent a lot of time just sitting and thinking. I had a few weeks at work where I was just going through the motions. Eventually, you get through it, but you never get over it.” 

 What is your  favorite memory(ies) of SNC?

“While all times in your life present their own blessings, there are definitely some unique opportunities at St. Norbert. Where else can you pick a random building and room to study in at nearly any time of the day? Where else can you stuff your face with pretty amazing food for most of the day? (Freshman 15? I gained the freshman 30 … I always was an overachiever.) I enjoyed random late night conversations with friends. You definitely don’t have such easy access to friends once you’re out in the “real world!” I attended more events that I can count, from Knights on the Fox to student recitals to lectures that really made me think.” 

 Do you keep in touch with anyone from your class? SNC?

“There’s a handful of classmates and folks from a year or two in either direction that will randomly surface from time to time, and that’s always a nice surprise. I still wish my favorite SNC profs Happy Birthday, and I have lunch twice a year with retired Religious Studies professor Dr. Paul Wadell.”

 What is the next step in your professional life?

“Right now, I’m working on getting my Enrolled Agent status with the IRS. This is essentially the GED equivalent to a CPA as far as just taxes – obviously, a CPA has a much broader range of knowledge. Other than that, I’m looking forward to really sinking my teeth into my role at SNC. I don’t know that there need to be any “next steps” as long as I keep up-to-date and the work stays interesting!”

 What general advice do you have for soon-to-be-graduates?

“It’s OK to not know where you want to end up. All you need to know is the next step. At the same time, never get too settled. Keep in the back of your mind the things that are important to you. I frequently ask myself if what I’m doing is fulfilling and if I have the proper work/life balance (this can be really hard with two jobs!). Life is short, so make sure the main draws on your time give you joy and make a difference.”

 Family, kids, etc.?

“I’ve got a partner (Matt) of 9 years.”

 Hobbies, pastimes, etc.?

“I’m not myself if I’m not making music, whether singing at church, doing karaoke at The Green Room, or playing trombone (badly) in a community band. (I never have enough time to do all of that, by the way.) Matt & I also are at the roller rink roughly once a week. Oh, and I bike to work … it’s a great way to wake up for the day and, on the return trip, mentally disconnect from work at the end of the day.”

 Thank you, Francis, for sharing your incredible story with the SNC community. If you see Francis around campus, stop and say “hello”. You won’t regret it!