A Tale of Two Roommates
by Lily Wolfe (’18)
Jillian Riddell (’07) and Lindsay Beckstead (’07) met on one of the first of many bus rides to a golf tournament in Montana. Jill describes meeting Lindsay as an immediate contributor to her spirit and confidence, as on that first bus ride Lindsay proudly shared how her high school golf team set a national record for winning the most consecutive dual matches. This conversation may seem small and insignificant; however, those long bus commutes led to a lifetime of friendship.
When it came time to find a roommate for sophomore year, Lindsay said it was a no brainer when Jill asked to be her roommate. The duo moved into Behnken Hall, and the rest is history. They lived together for two years and were constantly brainstorming their next business venture, suggesting internships for each other, and spending free time in the Center for Financial Analysis. Sharing the same major (business accounting) resulted in having many classes together, which led to a lot of chattering and getting in trouble during class.
“My earliest memory together has to be our first-ever joint business venture,” Jill says. Lindsay adds, “We were obsessed with the stock market and opened a joint investment account at Scottrade for $500. We kicked ourselves for not investing in Apple.”
After graduation, Jill moved back home to Seattle to pursue a job with Nordstrom, and Lindsay worked for Price Waterhouse Coopers in Las Vegas, and then in San Diego. They never lost touch during their time apart, making several weekend trips to either Seattle or San Diego for a quick getaway. They attended each other’s weddings, and Lindsay says, “Jill is the reason I got to my wedding on time and had party favors.”
When Lindsay’s husband got the opportunity to complete his residency at Seattle Children’s Hospital, the location couldn’t have been more perfect. “It was natural to pick up where we left off in college,” Jill says. “We never lost touch over the years.”
Today, Jill works as an occupational therapist, while Lindsay is a CPA and accounting analysis manager for Starbucks Coffee Company.
“Our lives together are one of a kind,” says Jill.
About the Westminster Review
The Westminster Review is Westminster University’s bi-annual alumni magazine that is distributed to alumni and community members. Each issue aims to keep alumni updated on campus current events and highlights the accomplishments of current students, professors, and Westminster alum.
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