CPA, assistant vice president for finance and accounting for the university; controller for the Missouri State University Foundation
Grew up: In Springfield, Missouri Education: Bachelor’s in accounting, 1986, Missouri State University Career: First worked in public accounting for about five years. Next, she worked for United Way and then moved to private industry. After a decade, she returned to her alma mater to join financial services in 1998. That means Schull has spent half her life on campus! Family: Husband Ralph, married 38 years. Two children: Dani, 31, Drew, 27. Two cats: Max and Destiny. |
What do you do for Missouri State?
Financial services includes university accounting and budgeting, accounts receivable, accounts payable, the bursar’s office, the procurement office and accounting for the MSU Foundation. Our area has about 50 people.
What are your favorite parts of your job?
I get to touch a little bit of everything, and I like getting to work with every area of campus. I love being connected with the Missouri State University Foundation by working with the donors and people in the community, being able to assist in supporting the university. I work on the back end. People in the advancement offices are the ones out there talking to the donors. What we do is make sure that once that money comes in that it is spent how it’s supposed to be spent and we have everything in order. I also really enjoy working with faculty members who have grants.
You took on the role of assistant vice president in 2023. Tell us about that.
Financial services had been an independent department for 20 years, and we moved back under administrative services, which was the former model. I’m essentially replacing Steve Foucart, who was the chief financial officer. He retired in August. My position as the assistant vice president is one we haven’t had for some time. We’ve been working through how it’s going to look.
Would you rather be an expert in one topic or know a little bit about everything?
I lean toward knowing a little bit about everything.
Any hobbies?
We enjoy gardening. We love shows and concerts. We like to go to Juanita K. Hammons Hall and try to support the local arts.
Favorite MSU moment or memory?
Tent Theatre shows and Lady Bears games. Anytime they win, it’s great!
What would be your ideal workday?
It would definitely start later than 8 a.m. I am not a morning person.
What inspires you?
Watching the students on campus. They have so much energy, and their outlook is bright. Their energy filters to us. It’s also inspiring to see them graduate and go on to accomplish goals. We get to see that year after year.
Ocean, lake or pool — or not a fan of water?
I really like going to the ocean. We go to the lake sometimes.
Counting down the days to retirement, or more likely to work 10 years past retirement eligibility?
Maybe five years past retirement. Technically, I could go now, so five to 10 years past.
What advice would you give a younger you?
Make sure you enjoy life, family and friends. Don’t always work.
Favorite vacation?
Curaçao (a Dutch Caribbean island). My daughter is a teacher in South Korea now, but last year she was there. We visited and went to a lot of the historical sites and museums she visited with her students. We learned about plants, art, history and all of that. We went to the aquarium. We did the glass-bottom canoe. It was a lot of fun.
Place you most want to travel?
Ireland.
Read the book or watch the movie?
I would rather read the book, but I tend to watch more movies. Maybe that’s a time thing.
Fill in the blank. Missouri State is:
Home.
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