Amid a more than 30-year journey filled with personal and professional challenges, Susie Goldschmidt recently achieved an incredible milestone: graduating college. And the Oak Park and River Forest Market President for Byline Bank attributes the accomplishment, at least in part, to the support of her employer.
Growing up in a family of hardworking entrepreneurs, Susie had initially foregone college after high school, inspired by her parents’ success without formal education. From a tender age, she gained practical experience by serving customers in her parents’ four restaurants, which instilled in her a strong work ethic and dedication to delivering exceptional customer service.
However, Susie’s desire for a college degree never completely waned. In 1992, as a 35-year-old married mother of two and a successful manager at a local bank, Susie embarked on her college journey part-time at DePaul University. Yet, life had other plans for her.
Tragedy struck when Susie’s husband suddenly passed away from cancer, leaving her as a single mother with limited resources. Faced with the challenges of raising her children alone, Susie put her dreams of finishing her degree on hold to prioritize her family’s well-being.
“The thought of finishing my degree became a luxury and soon an afterthought,” Susie remembers. “My focus was solely on raising my kids.”
With unwavering determination, Susie embraced her role as a supportive parent, guiding her children through high school, college, and advanced degrees. As the years flew by and her children became successful and independent adults, Susie’s focus then shifted to becoming the primary caregiver for her aging mother.
Despite her personal and professional obligations, however, Susie never forgot her unfinished journey toward earning her degree. It was a subject that would occasionally come up in conversations with her kids, who would jokingly remark about how old Susie would be if she ever graduated.
Fast-forward to 2019, when Susie found herself at a crossroads. “I had been working at the same bank location for 33 years, and when my bank was bought out by a large national bank, my bank was no longer the community bank I called home,” Susie remembers.
Luckily, Susie was approached about a new opportunity with Byline Bank. “Moving to Byline rejuvenated me,” she says. “Their culture allowed me to care for my clients in a manner that I, and they, expected.”
Also to her surprise and delight, Susie discovered that Byline had partnered with DePaul University, the institution where Susie had started her college education. This fortuitous collaboration reignited Susie’s dream of completing her degree, and with the support and encouragement of her Byline colleagues, Susie finally graduated from DePaul in 2022, fulfilling a goal over 30 years in the making.
Reflecting on her journey, Susie feels particularly grateful to Byline for providing her with the flexibility she needed to balance her personal and professional life and earn her long-awaited degree. It’s been such a supportive environment, in fact, that Susie hasn’t completely ruled out the possibility of pursuing a master’s degree as well.
“Thank you so much, Byline,” Susie says. “You’re an inspiration.” ©2024 Byline Bank. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
