The School of Accountancy at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration hosted Senior Night on Thursday, April 23. The event featured young alumni panelists who discussed topics about entering the work force in both public and private accounting. The six panelists included: Megan Brooke ’12 from Koch Industries; Karissa Brown ’13 from KPMG; Trevor Gottula ’06 and ’07 from ConAgra Foods; Nolan Ingebrigtson ’11 from Molex; Rachel Manning ’10 and ’12 from Lutz; and Aaron Wiegert ’04 and ’05 from BKD, LLP. Manning, Nolan and Wiegert are also members of the School of Accountancy Junior Advisory Board.
“Participation in the panel provided a great opportunity to connect with the upcoming graduates of the UNL School of Accountancy. It was helpful to hear some of the questions from the students to better understand what they are thinking about as they prepare to enter the workforce,” Ingebrigtson said. “I enjoyed interacting with the students. They had practical and thoughtful questions about academics, careers and general tips on how to transition life stages.”
This event was designed to help students entering the job market to gain understanding and tips for a smooth transition from school to work. Nearly 60 senior undergraduate students and graduating MPA students attended the event and were prepared with questions for alumni.
Rachel Manning (left) and Karissa Brown
Lyndsey Harrold, a senior accounting major from Shawnee, Kansas, felt the event was a unique opportunity to learn from alumni.
“Attending Senior Night was a great learning opportunity for us to hear about the transition into the workforce and what skills you will need to find success in a new job,” Harrold said.
Ken Farrow, a senior accounting major from Lincoln, Nebraska, was grateful for the advice he received about accounting career paths.
“It was beneficial to hear there is no right or wrong choice between public and private accounting,” Farrow said. “I learned it is important to know yourself and understand which environment you have the best chance to be successful and have greater job satisfaction.”
Dr. Aaron Crabtree, director of the School of Accountancy, believes Senior Night was beneficial to both students and the alumni who participated.
“Senior Night allows students to solicit advice from young accounting professionals and ask questions they may be afraid to ask supervisors once they start working,” Crabtree said. “Our hope is to host more events like this to introduce current students to our alumni to help them network and generate connections that cultivate future opportunities.”
Published: May 6, 2015