There’s one subject not being broached between Ashley Lorenzetti and her new boss: which is the better sport, basketball or soccer? Lorenzetti, 22, who played and coached a lot of soccer in her hometown of Bristol, works for former UConn women’s basketball star Maria Conlon, who played for the Huskies from 2000 to 2004 and won three NCAA championships.
But Lorenzetti didn’t join Barnum Financial Group in Shelton just because she was recruited by Conlon. She went to work for the financial services company because of the opportunities it presented and the resources it offered employees. “I wanted to pursue a career here,” said Lorenzetti, after first being introduced to the company at UConn Career Services. (By the way, her time at UConn did not overlap with Conlon’s student years.) She added, “I want to be able to help people and help them protect things that are most important to them.”
Lorenzetti admits she did know who her future boss was before joining Barnum. “I follow all UConn sports,” said Lorenzetti, who earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics-Actuarial Science with a minor in business. Not only did Lorenzetti follow UConn sports, she played intramural women’s soccer. It was a sport she played at Bristol Central High School, as well as track and field.
Math was something Lorenzetti was always good at, which is why she studied it in college. “I had a strong math background and it seemed like the best major for me to pursue,” she said.
Lorenzetti continues her interest in sports at the local level. She is secretary of the McCabe Waters Little League in Bristol. She never played Little League baseball, but got involved because she was already spending so much time going to games to watch her 12-year old brother play. (She also has a 16-year old sister.) “I’m already there so I figured I would get involved,” said Lorenzetti.
Getting involved seems to be something Lorenzetti likes doing. Her freshman year at UConn she was involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters and mentored a Windham Middle School student. She was also a member of Gamma Iota Sigma Fraternity, a professional fraternity for risk management, insurance and actuarial science majors. She also worked at Symmetry Partners in Glastonbury as a financial services intern while attending UConn.
