Erin Eckels knew about Missouri State: Her dad was an alumnus who also went into accounting.
Coming here set her up for success
But it was meeting the dean of the College of Business that really sealed her decision to come here.
“She acted like she cared about me as a person and made me feel like I was valued.”
Soon, Eckels began a jam-packed university career.
Getting connected at school and in the community
Among other activities, Eckels has served as the director of publicity for MSU’s Accounting Club.
The club has social and academic events – dinners, volunteering, meetings – and also schedules “plant tours.”
This means taking a trip to a local business and touring the facilities.
“Plant tours are always fun because you get to observe a company that you wouldn’t normally get to go in. You actually get to see their offices and what they do.”
She also volunteers with the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, a position she found through the Citizen and Service-Learning program at Missouri State.
“They match you with a community partner. You can be doing something for that business or organization that related to your major and also helps you, as a student, learn more about what you’re going to be doing in the future.”
She has assisted with bookkeeping, paperwork and billing.
“I really do feel connected to the Springfield community because I’m doing that. It’s something totally unexpected that I did not really search out, but because of Missouri State, I now have that involvement and I love volunteering there.”
Set up for success through work-study, campus recruitment
Eckels has also done a work-study program in the audit department of BKD, an accounting firm.
“The College of Business set me up to get that job. I met the recruiter at a campus event.”
She is optimistic about her career because there’s a huge demand for accountants, and MSU offers many opportunities for students.