The School of Accountancy Student Success Academy helps first-year students start college with a built-in support system that guides them throughout their academic journey and into their careers.
“The Student Success Academy connects first-year students with student mentors and alumni through the Accounting Careers and Connections course (ACCT 150). It's designed to help freshmen succeed academically while building relationships that will set them up for success throughout their careers,” said Jimmy Downes, director of the School of Accountancy.
Jill Trucke, associate professor of practice in accountancy, designed the class to help accounting majors transition to college.
“We want students to feel like they belong in the program from the moment they arrive,” Trucke said. “Starting college can feel overwhelming, especially in a rigorous major like accounting. This course helps students make connections right away, so they have people to turn to when they have questions. They don't have to figure it out alone.”
While in the course, freshman Maia Oltmans of Davenport, Nebraska, began to better understand her future in accounting.
“Talking with upperclassmen about their schedules and internship experiences helped me start planning what I want my journey to look like as an accountant,” Oltmans said. “Hearing alumni share about the places they’ve lived and traveled for work also stuck with me. It made me think about studying or working abroad in the future.”
The course also introduces students to different companies and career paths within the profession.
“It helped me learn more about what specific firms do and introduced me to companies I had never heard of before,” Oltmans said. “It gave me more exposure to the kinds of opportunities that could be out there for me.”
The course helped freshman Valencia Nockai of Omaha, Nebraska, see how many directions an accounting degree can lead.
“I learned about the different career paths you can take with an accounting degree and began to understand what I might want to do after graduation,” Nockai said. “Hearing upperclassmen talk about their experiences helped me see where I’ll be in a few years, and it reassured me that I’m on the right track.”
Nockai also said it helped her better understand the professional world she is preparing to enter.
“I learned more about the inner workings of corporate life and what to look for in the workplace,” she said. “The alumni who spoke in class showed how valuable the connections you make at the College of Business can be.”
Supported by donor funding, academy students receive a $500 scholarship during their freshman year when they take the course. If they remain active in the academy as mentors, they can earn another $500 scholarship as juniors.
Nebraska accounting graduates Jon, '95 & '96 MPA, and Jill Brown Nielsen, '95, from Nashville, Tennessee, consider the academy an investment in students and the future of the accounting profession. Their son, Jake, also graduated from the College of Business with an international business degree and minors in business analytics and Asian studies as part of the Nebraska Business Honors Academy.
“Accounting is a field where mentorship matters,” said Jon, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Great-West Lifeco Inc. in Canada. “The people you meet in college can shape your future opportunities. Supporting this academy ensures students begin building those relationships early. Supporting this academy ensures students begin building those relationships early.”
Trucke shared how freshmen benefit from talking with their peers who recently navigated the same challenges.
“When juniors and seniors share their experiences about student organizations, internships and balancing everything that comes with college, the freshmen really listen,” Trucke said. “At the same time, the mentors are learning how to support the freshmen. That’s an important part of becoming a professional and a great lesson in giving back.”
Jill Nielsen said the academy’s focus reflects the type of support that helps students succeed.
“The University of Nebraska is our number one philanthropic endeavor, so we are all about supporting students. When students know people believe in them and are willing to invest in their future, it shows that they are part of a strong community,” Jill said.
Downes hopes to expand the academy in the future in several ways, including by creating "accounting families," small networks connecting students at every stage of the program. Each group could include two or three freshmen alongside sophomores, juniors, seniors, Master of Professional Accountancy students and eventually alumni.
“Our hope is that students who benefit from the academy will mentor the next group while still in college and well beyond graduation,” Trucke said. “When students learn early that part of success is helping others succeed, it strengthens the entire community.”
