By Kyja Omdahl, ’15 and ’16
Financial Auditor, Ernst & Young

I wanted to be a part of the Junior School of Accountancy Advisory Board to stay in touch with the college, its faculty and students, as well as give back to a community I cherish. By leveraging my experiences and insights in my career while being a relatively recent graduate, I’ve enjoyed helping develop programs for students and alumni to establish connections and bridge the gap between student life and the professional community.

When I first started exploring colleges after growing up in Fargo, North Dakota, I had several universities in mind. Nebraska was the first and the last school I toured. Once I arrived and met the faculty and students, I knew it was where I wanted to spend my college years. Not only does Nebraska have great people, but it has an exceptional accounting program.

When I received assistance as a college student, financial or otherwise, I looked at it as a loan or an investment. I was extremely grateful at the time I received and knew that I wanted to give back and make a similar investment in someone when an opportunity arose.

My Nebraska memories focus on the relationships built while there, such as the friends made in my freshman residence hall whom I still keep in touch with today or the hundreds of undergraduate students I taught as a teaching assistant. Getting to know them on a personal level was one of my most rewarding experiences at Nebraska.

When small groups of MPA students completed consulting work for area businesses, we traveled weekly to work with their management to understand the real issues and challenges they were facing and then proposed solutions. This class provided me with the most impactful, hands-on experience and prepared me for the career I have today.

Being a financial auditor at Ernst & Young in Minneapolis, Minnesota, challenges me to ask better questions of my clients, their industries and the working world as a whole. Through my coursework and by interacting with the faculty and my peers at the college, I learned how to ask thoughtful questions. I also use Excel and other applications much more than I ever thought I would, so all of the vlookups and other Excel functions I practiced in class were put to good use.

I especially enjoy giving to the SOA because I trust the people and fully believe in the mission to provide an exceptional educational opportunity, create high-impact research, and engage and collaborate with the community. I would recommend for others interested in giving back to reach out to their previous professors or others at the school to learn about the many opportunities available.