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Laura (Hambruch) Oakes loves the career she has found with General Motors and the endless opportunities available at the plant in a suburban area of Buffalo, N.Y. “I would be absolutely thrilled if I could retire from General Motors,” Laura says. “I have had a wonderful five years with the company, and I hope to continue to move up in supervisory roles.” 

During the five years Laura has worked for GM, she has performed many functions at the plant that produces radiators and condensers for a number of General Motors vehicles. In her current role as a manufacturing lead, Laura – who earned an undergraduate business degree (2010) and MBA (2011) from ��������Ƶ – oversees production during the plant’s second shift. She ensures that production work goes smoothly and steps in when any quality control issues arise. 

Laura embraces working the night shift as a strategic career decision that allows her to show off her management skills. “In the long run, I think it will pay off,” she says. “I volunteered for the night shift as an opportunity to get ahead.” 

Making sacrifices is nothing new to Laura. While at ��������Ƶ, she at once juggled three jobs to help make her way through school. She also played basketball for two seasons and lacrosse for three. Laura still enjoys a side career as a basketball referee, mostly for junior colleges.

��������Ƶ’s young alumni are making their mark on the world through their work in science and healthcare, finance and business, industry, entertainment and service to those in need. The Spring/Winter 2017 edition of ��������Ƶ’s Forward magazine featured 30 of these alumni, all under the age of 30. You can find all of their stories here on ��������Ƶ’s site (just look for the “30 Under 30” icon).