Edreece Redmond ’24 admits that when he entered Wabash in Fall 2020, he didn’t know what lay ahead, but he was ready for it.
“No one really ever knows what to expect going to college. I knew it was going to be challenging,” he says. “I was put in a position to find success by the people who are here at the College.”
In his four years, Redmond has helped the Little Giant basketball team win 77% of its games since his pandemic-shortened freshman season, capture five NCAC championships, and earn three NCAA tournament appearances, including a berth in the NCAA DIII National Semifinals in 2022. Off the court, the psychology major from Indianapolis has accepted a postgraduation job offer from Eli Lilly and Company.
“Basketball has been a means of helping me navigate different problems and learn how to talk to people in different ways,” says the point guard. “I learned how to ask for help, to ask, ‘What’s my role on this team, and how can I be most effective?’”
With an interest in business, Redmond assumed he would be an economics major, but early on, he found himself more engaged and interested in psychology courses. He liked the idea of learning about how to learn and was able to connect that to his business interests.
“Learning why people make decisions is important in so many areas,” he says. “If you are in marketing, you know how the brain works and why people are attracted to certain things, or what keeps people’s attention. I have learned to apply it to many places.”
He joined the Center for Innovation, Business, and Entrepreneurship (CIBE) on campus and gained experience through project and consultancy work. The efforts in the CIBE helped him land an internship during the summer of his sophomore year with Stanton Chase, an executive search firm headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Redmond leaned on some of his basketball skills to help him navigate challenges in the business world, learning how to identify a problem, listen to others, and work together to determine solutions.
“He’s industrious, tenacious, and a good relationship builder,” says Jeff Perkins ’89, managing director at Stanton Chase. “Edreece was good at identifying talent to complete assignments and could communicate effectively with our clients.”
Perkins was impressed with Redmond’s ability to quickly create a life for himself during that summer experience. He found an evening job, got involved in local sports, and remained a strong contributor at work.
“On top of time management, Wabash has taught me a lot about managing priorities,” Redmond says. “Being a collegiate athlete is not always easy. You have to be able to prioritize.”
Last summer, Redmond wanted to see how human resources functions at a larger company so he applied for and completed an internship in the H.R. department at Eli Lilly.
“There was so much to soak up,” he explains. “It’s so big, with so many different functions that it’s necessary to learn not just what they are doing, but why they are where they’re at.”
Redmond’s big project was creating a two-year onboarding experience for H.R. professionals in business facing roles. He was also expected to find resources and network.
“They want to see how good you are figuring things out,” he continues. “There isn’t a lot of hand holding; they expect you to go out and make connections with people. They don’t expect you to know everything by yourself, but they do expect you to go out and find the answers.”
Head Basketball Coach Kyle Brumett knows that Redmond thrives in those situations because he has seen that trait in Redmond, both on and off the court. The coach pushes his players to pursue opportunities and to take advantage of them when they arise. The goal stretches beyond campus and to what becomes possible following graduation.
“We’re pushing them to stretch themselves, to take advantage, to be extraordinary,” Brumett says. “Edreece has a persistence about him that allows him to try things and understand the process. He brightens every room, and he always has. Now you see him as a professional more than a student, or even a basketball player. That’s a proud moment for a coach.”
An easy smile extends across Redmond’s face as he talks about his job search being completed well in advance of Commencement.
“Four years just flies by,” he says. “The next chapter of your life is going to be a lot different than what it is now. I made the right choice in Wabash, and I’m happy to have arrived at this moment.”