She conquered gymnastics. Next? Business.

Lexy Ramler (’21 Bachelor of Science in Business) strives to set a gold standard of excellence.
 
Ending her career as the most decorated Gopher gymnast in the history of the program, it’s safe to say Ramler left her mark: 28 All-American honors; three-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Year; seven Big Ten individual event championships; and 2019 NCAA Championships All-Around Runner-Up. The records and accolades go on.
 
“[After 19 years as a gymnast] I feel like I'm going into retirement right now a little bit,” the 23-year-old says. “I'm just beginning my life. I’m just beginning my career.”
 
While her time competing as a Gopher may be over, she still has work left at the Carlson School of Management where she’s pursuing her master’s in human resources and industrial relations.
 
Initially drawn to business after years of watching her father run his own company, Ramler found her own footing in the field—thanks in part to gymnastics.
 
“That's really what drew me in for human resources, I found so many of those concepts I could take into my team,” she says. “As new team members came onto the team, I could onboard them in a way, and [work through] conflict management as well. Having that experience to be able to tie those concepts right into the sport was pretty cool.”
 
Being a part of the Carlson School also helped her navigate the NCAA’s new name, image, and likeness policy. For the first time, Ramler could pursue paid partnerships with brands like Love Your Melon and OZONE Leotards without worrying about losing athletic eligibility.
 
“It's a whole other aspect that you're putting into your life. You have academics, athletics, your social life, and then this business portion,” says Ramler. “I've enjoyed the process and the Carlson School set me up so well to be able to read contracts and [learn] how to handle myself in a professional way throughout discussions.”
 
The same mindset that powered her to the tops of podiums now drives her in business. For Ramler, that path to excellence is paved with persistence, no matter if it’s in the gym, a lecture hall, or the boardroom.
 
“You can't just do well on one test or work hard one day,” says Ramler. “It's the overall consistency of what you put into your studies as well as networking and making those connections. That's going to make you successful.”

This story was adapted from the original, which appeared at the Carlson School of Management.