UCR Alum Wins The Apprentice

<p>I always am proud when other UCR grads go on to do something special, and thought I would share this with the rest of you. The original copy can be found at <a href="http://www.newsroom.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/display.cgi?id=1572:%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.newsroom.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/display.cgi?id=1572:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>RIVERSIDE, Calif. (<a href="http://www.ucr.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.ucr.edu&lt;/a&gt;) – Stefani Schaeffer, a 1996 graduate of the University of California, Riverside, and one of 18 project managers vying for a permanent position working for Donald Trump, is hired as the next apprentice on NBC’s The Apprentice. Schaeffer, formerly from Palm Springs, California, majored in English and psychology at UCR before attending law school.</p>

<p>“Success is when you follow through and achieve the goals you've set for yourself, whatever they may be,” Schaeffer told NBC in a recent interview. “Success is about never giving up and never being afraid to fail. Every failure makes you that much stronger... and that much more determined.”</p>

<p>Selected as a Los Angeles Magazine 'Young Rising Star' in 2006 for excellence in law, Stefani is now a trial attorney for one of the largest California defense firms. She makes her home in Los Angeles.</p>

<p>Season six of The Apprentice was set in Los Angeles instead of New York where the reality television show made its home for the past five seasons. Trump remained in charge and made the ultimate decision as to whether one of the project managers stayed or was sent home. The winner receives the title of "The Apprentice" and the career opportunity of a lifetime working for the legendary business tycoon. Schaeffer had the choice of working on Trump's new resort development in the Caribbean or a condo project in Atlanta. She chose the Caribbean.</p>

<p>Schaeffer cited enthusiasm as one of her attributes qualifying her for The Apprentice.</p>

<p>"I lead by being enthusiastic, and enthusiasm is contagious and motivates people to work much harder," she said.</p>

<p>Michael Munoz, a 2001 UCR graduate who works for the San Bernardino Sun, was one of 8 million viewers who tuned into the show’s finale that was televised from the Hollywood Bowl. Once he realized that Schaeffer was a fellow alumnus, he took special note.</p>

<p>“From what I saw on the finale, Stefani has all the positive qualities to be an effective leader in the Trump organization,” Munoz said. “Watching her in the final board room, she kept her composure, answered all of Trump's questions quickly and concisely and of all the contestants, was the most qualified applicant. She deserved to win."</p>

<p>"And it's an even sweeter victory to know that she is a fellow alumnus of UC Riverside," he added.</p>