Getting Involved and Going Deeper: How My College Involvement Led Me to Accounting

By Victoria Heavey, Knoxville Chapter Student Ambassador

For a college freshman, getting involved on campus can be deceptively more difficult than the expansive list of clubs and organizations may suggest. However, waiting until you feel comfortable on campus before joining an organization could put you at a disadvantage. I would advise anyone new to a university to dive right in and find connections early on. Getting plugged in with a group based on shared interests, values or goals will not only help acclimate you to your new home for the next four years, but it will also help you stand out to potential employers.

While in college, I chose to pursue a select few organizations and go deeper in my involvement within each one. With school as my first priority, I decided to focus my efforts mainly on the Chancellor’s Honors Program and Greek life. I rushed during the fall of my freshman year and ran for an executive position for the upcoming calendar year. Starting in the spring, I served as Treasurer for my sorority. This somewhat off-the-cuff decision to run for treasurer led to switching my major to accounting based on my positive experience acting as the controller of all chapter finances. This truly hands-on position allowed me a great amount of autonomy in decision making which came with a strong sense of responsibility and accountability. Perhaps the most notable task as treasurer, planning the annual budget, challenged my critical thinking and confidence in my decisions because I was given such free reign to analyze the budget variance from the past year to decide how to allocate our funds appropriately. Of course, I consulted the Area Collegiate Operations and Finance Director for advice when I was unsure and then submitted the budget for multiple levels of approval. However, this opportunity opened my eyes to the great potential I might have in the accounting field.

Consequently, I developed the necessary skills for a career in public accounting through this leadership role. While taking a heavy course load as I adjusted to this full-time position, I constantly managed my time wisely by planning ahead and keeping track of deadlines. I communicated professionally with external parties, such as vendors, venue managers and catering companies. Likewise, I communicated financial information to members, parents and other executive officers in a way all could understand. Tailoring your communication style for your audience can be the key difference between executing a plan effectively the first time rather than facing the inefficiency of redoing something due to a simple miscommunication.

Serving in a leadership role can completely change your professional trajectory. Getting more deeply involved with one or two organizations, as opposed to stretching yourself thin across a multitude of clubs but not actually participating, develops the skills needed in the business world and presents the chance to network.

Forming connections early on and having leadership experience on your resume may help secure you an interview. Then, being able to expound on the knowledge and skills you gained through these positions during the interview will give you a better chance of landing the job. I referenced my experience as treasurer during interviews for my current internship. I believe it set me apart and has directly contributed to my success in accounting after seeing a glimpse of its real-world application.