Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/265930
W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 2 3 2 2 T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F T U L S A B U S I N E S S M A G A Z I N E ] [ StuDENt profiles Lepine Finds Love, Family at TU For Katie Lepine, TU is a family tradition. Katie, her brother and her sister are all proud TU students. The academic prestige; the smaller, private university feel; the low student-to-faculty ratio; and the many academic opportunities and extracurricular activities are a few of the reasons why she and her siblings chose TU. As a marketing major, Lepine has been involved in many campus organizations. Currently, she is president of the Student Association and has served as its commuter senator and trea - surer. The role of student government president can be stressful and time-consuming, but Lepine manages to keep everything in balance. "The challenging aspect of my position is balancing the expectations placed on the office, from the TU administration and the student body," she said. "My job affects different parts of the university. It can be a lot to juggle, but I value this experience because it allows me to apply in the real world what I am learning in the classroom." The real-world applicability of her class material is what will help Lepine become an excellent employee and coworker in the future. "The business college is really great at teaching you how to work in groups," she said. "It makes you a team player." Lepine has been active in TUTV and Reformed University Fellowship, noting they have made a positive influence on her college career. "I fell in love with TU while I was working with TUTV," she said. "This is where I first started feeling like I belonged. The Reformed University Fellow - ship also has had a big impact on my happiness and dedica- tion to TU. It was a place to bond with like-minded individuals and be encour- aged, and I met my husband through this group." Lepine also is a NOVA Fellow, a prestigious honor awarded through the business college to students who are using their talents to improve the community. After working with a local food bank for a class project, she wanted to do more to help combat hunger in Oklahoma. She came up with the idea to hold a benefit concert at TU for the food bank, an event planned for the spring 2014. In the future, Lepine plans to pursue an MBA or MPA while staying involved in the Tulsa community. "I want to continue my work here as a student and get involved in public policy and local government," she said. "My husband and I love Tulsa, and TU has been a big part of that. It has made me a better citizen, and I want to stay here as long as I can." Finance Major Inspires Students to Follow Their Dreams Valerie Roarty initially was an international business major. She even took an internship at a small healthcare consulting firm in Paris, France, where she created a joint work plan between the International Telecom Union and the World Health Organization. While she explains that the experience was phenomenal, ultimately she decided to major in finance, keeping international business and French as her minors. "I didn't know if I could be away from my family for that long," Roarty said. "So, I reevaluated, and since I like numbers, I chose finance. I wanted to diversify my experience." Roarty could not be happier that she made the switch to finance and enjoys the coursework and faculty. "The work prepares you for a job," she said. "It gives you the skills you need to enter the workforce. The faculty always makes sure you know what you're learning and how you will apply it." One instructor in particular has made a memorable impact on this Golden Hurricane. "I've enjoyed learning from Professor Anila Madhan," Roarty said. "Her portfolio class made me love finance." Along with her busy academic schedule, Roarty balances many extracurricular activities. She is president of the Student Finance Association and a member of the University Ambassadors execu - tive committee where she organizes and conducts campus tours for prospective students. "We tell them what TU is about, where everything is, and we help bridge the gap between high school and college life," she said. Roarty also is the director of the TU Dream Project, which mentors low- socioeconomic high school students and encourages them to follow their dreams. Under Roarty's leadership, the group has grown from 10 TU mentors to 40. "The dreams of these students are not always the same as ours. Some have no interest in college but have other dreams like opening a tire shop," Roarty said. "They all have different aspira - tions depending on their life experiences, and we encourage them to follow their unique goals." When she graduates in May 2014, Roarty will work at Williams in its professional development program. The three-year program rotates the participants to a new position in the company every year. "I will have the opportunity to move within the local office or even to the company's other locations in Pennsylvania and Houston," she said. "The rotation allows you to see different parts of the company and figure out your best fit. It's a great opportunity that I'm very excited to have." Japanese Student at Home in Tulsa With his hometown more than 6,200 miles away, Yuto Fuku- shima has made The University of Tulsa his second home for the last four years. The only Japanese business student from Tokyo, Fukushima says he has been welcomed with open arms by profes- sors and students. "Everyone is really nice and are great mentors," Fukushima said. "They truly support me and have made me feel at ease. I've been able to get to know my college professors well and have made many friends." Fukushima is a graduate student in the Masters of Accoun - tancy (MAcc) program. He began his journey in business manage- ment with the goal to be a hotel manager. This quickly changed after a mentoring session with retired professor Dennis Hudson. "He was my first accounting professor and explained to me that a degree in accounting equals 360 degrees of opportunity," Fuku- shima said. "I enjoy the analytical side of things and realized I was good at it, so I quickly changed my degree to accounting." Born in Tokyo, Fukushima's family moved to Texas when he was 10, then returned to Japan three years later. When it came time to select a university, he considered Texas but wanted some- thing different. "I chose Tulsa, even though I knew there would not be many Japanese students here," he said. "The University of Tulsa's smaller size made it easier to connect with faculty and students." Involvement on campus has enhanced his self-confidence. He joined Beta Alpha Psi, an honor society for accounting, finance and information systems majors. Through the organization, he has been able to network with accounting profes - sionals and firms in the area. "Hearing the guest speakers at the monthly meetings and speaking with them has shown me a glimpse of what the workforce is like and what areas most interest me," Fukushima said. Some of Fukushima's favorite activities include the TU Tennis Club, exploring local culture, the Gilcrease Museum, the Okla - homa Aquarium and participating in the Tulsa Run. "Tulsa has a nice pace where you feel relaxed – the 180 degree opposite of Tokyo," he said. As to where he will call home after graduation, Fukushima is already planning ahead. After working a summer internship at Plante Moran, a public CPA firm in Michigan, he was offered a full-time auditing position to begin after graduation in May 2014. "I will be a member of the audit staff under the Japanese Business Service (JBS) group which consists of Japanese/English bilingual staff members," he said. "I hope to continue to work abroad and learn more about the industry while gaining experience and confidence." Jolly Discovers Passion for Accounting Presidential Scholar and Colorado native Elaine Jolly is taking advantage of all The University of Tulsa has to offer. Her journey began as a Hurricane undergrad majoring in Spanish and speech pathology. After graduating in 2012, she planned to continue her education and pursue an MBA, but during a senior year finance course, she discovered a love for accounting. "The class sparked my interest in analytical math and that pointed me in the direction of accounting," Jolly said. "Because TU is a smaller campus, there are opportunities for students to get to know professors and have a personal relationship with them. I was able to smoothly switch degree paths and develop connections with the staff – all adding value to my education at TU." The Masters of Accountancy (MAcc) program is part of an international program at TU. Last summer, Jolly was able to study abroad a semester in Austria, which fueled her passion for travel. The variability of the program allowed her to study general business while exploring 18 countries throughout her undergraduate and graduate terms. "Elaine is a student who embraces the many opportuni - ties that the MAcc degree provides," said Karen Cravens, Chapman Professor of Accounting and director of the School of Accounting. "With the flexibility of the program, she was able to immerse herself in the culture of Europe and study abroad while taking an online class." Aside from attending class and studying, Jolly works as a graduate assistant in the marketing department and as a nanny for a local family. She also enjoys hands-on activities such as refin - ishing furniture. "My weekends are spent finding furniture for sale on Craigslist and refurbishing it," she said. "I also enjoy cooking, running 5K races and, of course, traveling." Jolly passed on her TU enthusiasm to a younger sister who currently is a sophomore at TU. Jolly has committed to working at an accounting firm full-time after her May 2014 graduation. She plans to obtain CPA certification and focus on public accounting.