Category: Uncategorized

To begin with, I interviewed my friend, and former teammate, Truman. He begins his day with a workout, this is followed with breakfast and reading current events. He likes to stay up to date with what’s going on in the world and finds it fun to predict what will happen in his current interest. Following this he will go to classes, then lunch, back to class, and then to soccer practice. Soccer is Truman’s biggest extracurricular activity, some others include video games, working out, and watching TV. When asked about how he manages his time he responded with “I don’t…. Well, I shouldn’t say that. Your days are so fluid a plan needs to be adaptable to the day. I wake up with an idea of what I want to do in the day, set my priorities, and attempt to complete everything.” After this, I asked him what advice he had for people in the business  major, he responded with, “To be a business major you have to choose a concentration, separate yourself even just a bit, find something that interests you and inspires you, and just get in there.”
The second student I interviewed Kyle. He has the same concentration I do for my major. To begin his day he will stretch for about 10-20 minutes a day. He normally skips breakfast and goes to class. He will go back to his apartment for lunch, catches up with his stocks, then back to classes again. After classes, Kyle likes to run, then lift weights. Following that, he goes home and relaxes before dinner.  He will then research stocks and do investment simulations until bed. Kyle said, “yeah, that’s about it.” His time is spent mainly on school and “keeping a good mindset”. The extra curricular activities he mentioned was yoga, lifting weights, running, meditating, and reading. His advice for people in the business major was, “learn from others, see what they do well and what the do poorly, then make it your own. Most importantly is learn from your mistakes, you will fail in this major, but learn from it and don’t do it again.”
Finally, I interviewed Dr. Wafford. He told me he started his day early, he gets up at 4 am and starts his day with a good coffee and water. He then said “I then go do handy work, I know you don’t understand what that is.” Continuing with a smile, he explained some of the daily work, it just came down to maintaining his land and house. I’m general, he is either at school or home. He occasionally goes around town to the local businesses. This was mainly before Covid, but he still does this from time to time. He didn’t really go into his personal life too much, but he did talk about some projects he was working on at his house. Then he would get into a story, which are always entertaining. His time is primarily spent on his work, whether that’s at home or school, it is what he does everyday. His advice to people in the major was, “practice what you want to do, the more experience you have, the better you’ll do. I mean, that’s obvious, but it’s what’s important. “

I am Harry Hilton, I have just graduated from University of The Ozarks with a Business degree and a minor in psychology. With an aspiration to complete a Masters in economics. I am much interested in numbers and the financial aspect of business.

According to Jordan Carson, a Senior Business Administration major. He likes to start his day with a good home-cooked meal. “A home-cooked meal is the best way to start your day because you should always have a good amount of nutrition in the morning it can help you be more productive with your day.” Jordan typically has about 2-4 classes a day depending on the day, after those classes he goes to his apartment and gets a little snack and nap in before his wrestling practice which usually takes about 4-5 hours a day.  “He says he takes a nap so that he can still be productive at practice and still have the energy to do his homework afterward.” After wrestling practice, he usually eats dinner and then spends about 1-2 hours doing homework, after doing that he just relaxes for the rest of his day. Now he does all these 5 days a week and is usually consistent with having the same routine throughout the week. he said, “he spends about 8-12 hours a week doing schoolwork & about 20-25 hours a week practicing”. His best piece of advice he said he can give was “to not stress about one assignment do the best that you can do and move on to the next. Study no more an hour each session and at the end of the day if you know it you know it and if you don’t you don’t at least you gave it your best effort.”  Jordan and I have taken the same class but just at separate times and had the same professor which we both like. Her name is Professor Nikki Garry, Mrs. Garry is one of the best teachers to have at Millikin, she makes everything fun and understanding in her class. She is also very helpful with stuff going on in the classroom and out. She said, “I like to crack jokes and add some fun to the class so students can stay engaged and understand their assignment I’ll even add in some games sometimes so that they can work on their communication and teamwork skills when they’re in their career field after college those will play big factors.” Some advice she had for students were too “Explore different internships opportunities… The experience will help you to know what you want to do or what you do not want to do. The earlier you discover the better.” A couple of things they both mentioned that can help future students are, “To never be afraid to participate in class even if you feel like you may be wrong it’s always good to get the mistakes out during class rather than on an assignment or test and to always ask questions, you’ll never find your answer you’re looking for if you don’t ask.” Another thing was to “always show up to class 1-10 minutes before class to ask for any help or questions you need answering too.” 

First Picture: Jordan Carson 

Second Picture: Nikki Garry 

Third Picture: Fabian Gomez  ( Author)  

Author Bio: I am Fabian Gomez, a Sophomore Business administration major at Millikin University. I am a member of the Big Blue Football Program. I love to play football and binge-watch movies or shows. I also enjoy going out and hanging out with friends, I am also very into video games and love playing warzone call of duty. 

A day in the life of a sports management major starts with a good morning breakfast. According to Taylor Chase, a junior sports management major, she likes to start the day with a coffee and cereal. “Starbucks is the first place I go before I start my day of classes. I typically have 3-4 classes a day that start around 10 and end around 3.” After finishing her multiple classes for the day, Taylor heads back to her apartment where she has a small break to eat lunch and relax before going to golf practice, where she is on the golf team. For practice, Taylor usually plays 9 holes and finishes after 2 and a half hours. Taylor then heads back to her apartment, makes dinner, and starts to destress for the night. She spends an average of 1-2 hours on homework and studying for the night, then she watches Netflix for the rest of the night. Her days do not differ from this routine and are usually the same as this one. Taylor and I share many classes with one another and our advisor, Thad Walker, teaches them. Professor Walker oversees all sports management majors and the practicum classes that require us to come up with games in small groups, market them to the Millikin population, and host them for the students of Millikin. “We have some great turnouts then some not so great turnouts, but we make the most of it and have fun with those who do show up,” Taylor said. The reasoning behind having so many games a semester is all a part of Professor Walker’s outlook on learning. “I do not believe in tests, and I do not think that students learn from them. Millikin is a performance-learning school, so I see how so many students benefit from doing performance learning throughout their classes,” states Professor Walker. The sports management students learn how to run a game like, bags, kickball, softball, basketball, and more. They also learn the skills of how to market the game and gain supplies and a space from Millikin. Professor Walker also states, “My students get so many things out of learning how to run their own games and activities. One large skill that I stress is teamwork. When they graduate and go into the real world, they will have to work with many kinds of people in many kinds of places, so I try to set them up to have the best experiences possible.” As a student in sports management, I have learned so much from Professor Walker and I have so many skills that can be applied outside of Millikin. A piece of advice for those in the same major would be to focus on academics and create ties with your instructors, because there are 3-4 professors that will teach your classes every year that you are at Millikin. It is super important to create good relationships with your peers and instructors to better your education at Millikin.

First Picture: Taylor Chase

Second Picture: Thad Walker

Author Bio: I am Carson Reynolds, and I am a junior sports management major at Millikin University. I am a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon and of the golf team. I am obsessed with the TV show FRIENDS, and I have probably seen every movie ever made. I have three cats at home, and I drink more Dr. Pepper than water. I am an avid video game player and could beat anyone at Madden. Sports mean everything to me and my family, and I religiously root for Notre Dame, St. Louis Cardinals, Kentucky Wildcats, and Minnesota Timberwolves. Overall, I am an outgoing individual with a passion for sports and television.

Third Picture: Author (Me)

What does it mean to be a student in the organizational leadership major at Milllikin University? Well, for starters, most of the students enrolled in this program are seeking a degree while working full time during the day which results in lots of evening classes and late night homework.

“Most days I go to work, then head home & eat supper, then get to working on homework.” says Jordan Carroll, a senior in the OL program.

Despite the hard work and long hours, a balanced life is quickly established with OL majors and before we know it– it’s graduation time!

Millikin’s Assistant Professor of Organizational Leadership. Janet Kirby, Ph. D, shared her favorite part of instructing in the department. “OL students are generally full-time employees and can make immediate use of elements of most classes in real time. Right up with this reason is the sense of self-confidence that grows in each student as they advance along the path to degree completion. Without exception, students become the kind of people they have admired professionally but never felt quite at the level. To be a part of that process is remarkable.”

So if you were wondering if the hard work is worth it… it most definitely is. The benefits that come from the relevant courses students are able to participate in become useful instantly in their professional roles.

Although there are some obvious obstacles associated with students in the OL program, there are also some benefits. As we pointed out earlier, majority of OL students are employed and for some, have had full professional careers before returning to education to complete their degrees. This professional experience and hands on learning opportunities sets them up for success when learning about and discussing work place situations in class. “There is knowledge and there are skills developed in class which have immediate applicability for students.” says Kirby.

The curriculum that is available to students in the OL program is both traditional and unique. Of course, there are the basics such as accounting and business communication but then there are some more nontraditional courses such as creativity & innovation and self-leadership. I think the combination of traditional and nontraditional courses perfectly embodies the organizational leadership students and their unique career paths.

If I could give a new student in the OL program some advice, it would be to remember the end goal. In times of struggle, it is important to remind yourself of the end goal and to keep pushing forward through the rough patch. It most likely will get better, but even if it does not, the end goal is going to be so worth it!

Written by Kelsie Wujek, Millikin University, Organizational Leadership ’22

It’s no secret that college students are extremely busy. Between classes, tests and homework, students must have proper time management habits in order to balance it all. Not to mention that the social aspect of college life full of extracurricular activities, clubs and spending time with friends leaves students with even more to juggle. I interviewed Kentina Ishimwe to get an insight of a day in her life.

Her day is characterized by classes, studying, or completing work whenever she can. she also works which, tends to make her day a little bit longer. When all these activities are done, she allows herself to rest. She also works on campus as an Admission student worker/ tour guide, a peer tutor for IS 120, a custodian student worker and a residence academic peer mentor in Blackburn 2. She says it can seem like a lot of work, but it is all about being organized. Besides work, she is part of the Women in Business Organization (WIB), the African Student Organization (ASO), and the International Student Organization (ISO). Her advice to other finance students is to make sure that you know what you are in for. If given an opportunity, you should strive to do an internship or be a part of a business to make sure that Finance is what you want to do. I say this because, in my opinion, what we do in class is theory-based so, that can take you only so far. If you have experience in your field of studies, you have an advantage.

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What inspired you to have a career in business?

Finance is the most important aspect of a business. Finance is an important part of everyday life and financial literacy can be the difference between poverty and a great life well-lived. The importance of financial literacy and smart financial decision-making cannot be overemphasized. Finance and Economics are both included in the so-called FAME subjects (Finance, Accounting, Management, and Economics). I wanted to be a professor of financial economics, in part, to help students understand the economic world that they live in and the basic financial skills necessary to make the decisions that will support a healthy and financially secure future.

Do you have any advice or motto to give to a finance student?

The world of finance is vast, has a greater job mobility and higher growth rate than most business careers. Financial literacy is also very important in today’s society and a major in finance will help you make financially responsible decisions. So welcome to the world of finance! Remember, every decision in life involves a tradeoff so if you have made the decision to be in school and to pursue a major in Finance then make it count; give it your best shot no matter how challenging it may be! Choose excellence and do not settle for mediocrity or resort to excuses. No matter your background, believe you can for “if you can believe, all things are possible to [the one] who believes”. See each day as a gift and always make the most out of it!

written by

Kellia Urujeni

The Tabor School of business always calls forth the most motivated students to achieve their dreams. Drew Detmers is no exception to this rule. Playing both baseball and being a full-time student takes a toll on both the mind and body. Drew has been able to do both and excel in the process. I decided to ask him about his daily routine to best understand how he can keep himself composed when faced with never-ending tasks to complete in a day.

Drew mentioned that most of his work is done in the morning. Sometimes over breakfast, he will check how his investments are doing, then heads off to his team lift around 7:00 AM. For the next hour or so, this morning lift helps him get ready for his day. “Although the lift itself can be rough, a cold shower and a smoothie after will almost always get me awake and ready for my classes.” Once done with his lift and a quick visit to his apartment, Drew sets off for his classes.

The next few hours of Drew’s day are spent in class. He takes a variety of different courses, from accounting to communication. After his courses, he heads home to his apartment and takes a mental break. “Sometimes, depending on what I am doing later, I will cook my meal based around the rest of my day. Carbs for team practices, or something simple like a burrito to get my protein in.” He will then use this fuel to “reset” and get himself ready for the second half of his day.

After a few hours of mental and physical rest, he heads to the field. Drew, being a baseball player, has many different things he chooses to work on. More than often though, this is playing catch. “Going through my pregame routine and getting a feel for my mechanics has become a big part of my day. It helps me get my mind off life for a bit and flip the switch from being in school.” After his time at the ballfield, Drew will head to his apartment and shower.

The rest of his day comprises of homework, dinner, and watching some television. “I usually try to get my homework done as soon as possible once my day is over. I don’t like the idea of responsibilities hanging out in the wind that I could forget about.” Drew will almost always fit his dinner in sometime during the homework process, whenever he thinks he needs a mental break. Once done with all his responsibilities for the day, TV shows like Breaking Bad or Outer Banks help him finish his day off.

Upon being asked for advice for those entering the Finance world, Drew wants those considering knowing how important understanding finance is for the real world. That finance can be a skill outside of work. It can impact your everyday life as an adult.

 “Financial literacy is one of the most valuable life skills. Understanding these concepts is not just good for your job. It applies to the future you want to create for yourself.” -Drew Detmers

Another important figure when inspecting the Tabor School of Business at Millikin University is Shailesh Patel. A former CFO turned professor now teaching accounting, Patel has all the skills needed to give students the best information in his classes. Patel and I have built up a relationship over the past few years, as I have been in both of his accounting classes so far. After class one day, I brought to him three questions. These were his responses.

“What do you like most about teaching here?”

Patel mentions how the smaller-sized classrooms allows him to engage more with his students and have meaningful conversations. He smiles about a conversation we shared about Bitcoin one afternoon. “At a big school, I would never have those simple talks.”

“How does being a CFO impact your teaching style?”

Patel points out how accounting is very different internally from company to company, and that he can bring his own stories to better explain some things we are currently learning. He goes on to mention how he “joined a company and spent months trying to find where millions of dollars were going” due to the company’s accounting statements.

“What advice would you give students entering Finance and the School of Business?”

Immediately Patel mentions the passion needed to be in this profession. “There are a lot of late nights the higher up you go.” He then goes on to highlight the work you put in is what you get out. That you need to make it all count.

Charly Warlow

Goal driven accounting major with dreams of opening my own firm. Athlete, teammate, family oriented, and crazy about my dogs!

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The business world can be a very complex world to pursue as a student. Accounting specifically might be considered tricky for some and may even deter students from the major. This major requires a lot of organization, calculation, and determination. With the help of your classmates and professors, you can guide yourself in the right direction to be successful.

“Every decision in life involves a tradeoff so if you have made the decision to be in school then make it count; give it your best shot no matter how challenging it may be! See each day as a gift and always make the most out of it!”

-Michael Osei

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Michael Osei is a professor in The Tabor School of Business at Millikin University, teaching financial and economic based classes. Michael stresses the importance of relying on others in your major and asking for help. He says, “Reach out to your professors or classmates if you need help with the class materials.” He is a firm believer in people being there to help you if you have questions.

Micheal also believes in making the most out of every day and believing in yourself. He lives by the quote, “if you can believe, all things are possible to [the one] who believes.” This quote is especially true for an accounting major, as sometimes you might feel like giving up but you have to remember that all things are possible. As a student of Michaels, I have been able to learn, ask questions, and be pushed to be the best student I can be, while always believing in myself.

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“Advice I have for other people would be to stay on top of things and use your resources. Don’t be afraid to reach out to others for help.”

-Elyce Knudsen

Accounting major, Elyce Knudsen, is a sophomore at Millikin University. As well as being a dedicated accounting student, Elyce is starting her second season on the women’s basketball team. Elyce spends her time on campus, in the classroom and on the basketball court.

Elyce enjoys routine and structure which is huge when balancing school and athletics. She says, “at the start of the week I like to write down important due dates and cross them off as I go.” She doesn’t like to look too far ahead as it can sometimes stress her out. By planning her week ahead of time, she knows exactly what has to be done on what day.

Elyce goes to class every day and then spends her time working on homework or studying. During the afternoons/evenings she spends hours practicing or playing basketball. To wrap up her day, Elyce makes sure that she got everything done for the day and takes some time for herself/friends.

Elyce knows what it takes in order to be successful both in the classroom and athletically. When juggling both school and basketball, Elyce tries to manage her time effectively. During season she gets very busy and has to work really hard to get everything done on time.

She prioritizes her accounting/business specific classes over her non major courses, as these are the classes that she enjoys the most. Elyce says, “I try to make sure I’m on top of things, if I’m missing class because of a game.” Elyce’s dedication and ability to thrive in routine and structure is the driving force behind her success both academically and athletically.

My name is Kierra Turner, and I am currently a Junior Cybersecurity major. Along with my academics I am also apart of some organizations on campus. The major is constantly changing to stay ahead of challenges that are could be a problem later on. I had the chance to talk to one of my professors whose name is Ed Weber. During my interview with Professor Weber we discussed what drew him into Cybersecurity, why he became a professor and also some tips and advice for success in both the major and the career.

What inspired him was his first job at Mercantile Bank where he was doing his regular daily job when an unencrypted file had been chosen at random for review. In the file were passwords which were written in plain text. Seeing this made him realize that even if your role isn’t security, you still have to deal with security. One of the biggest challenges Weber said was making sure that all that you do is on the ethical side. He also stated that he believed that someone could be in Cybersecurity and not have strong technical skills which can be the challenge for some. “Don’t get frustrated about not knowing” is some of the advice that Weber gave for students in not only the Cybersecurity majors but for most MIS majors as well. He went on to explain how in our industry its constantly changing and to not get discouraged from the change.

When asked about tips on how to succeed in our future careers he emphasized the balance needed. In this field there need to be a balance between the technical skills as well as the interpersonal skills. He went on to explain the misconnection that is usually given with the two and highlights the fact that even the best needs to present their ideas, as well as relaying crucial details and information. To wrap up his interview I inquired about what it was that made him want to go into teaching. He explained that after an extensive number of positions he was offered an opportunity to teach as an adjunct. During helping guide his class into doing it the correct way he realized this was what he was supposed to be doing, helping people.

I was able to interview an undergraduate Cybersecurity major whose name is Matthew Ranney. I asked Matthew how he would describe a day in his life with the major that he is in. He described it as challenging having to keep up with the numerous changes faced in Cybersecurity along with attending classes and going over the needed material. He explained that some classes were better than others with providing the sort of material where Cybersecurity came into play. He also explained how he would give roughly 10-20 hours a week on the material outside of class. I also got the chance to ask what advice would he give to others in our major on how to succeed. In which he replied “Find sources that help keep you informed on cybersecurity. This can house a lot of different topics, like cryptocurrency, data breaches, and how a company does and IT audit. Also learning about all the different methods of hacking makes the topic a lot more interesting. Keeping that motivation and understanding the topical reasons for getting into this field keeps one relevant to the field.”.

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Author: Brandon Streaty

A full-time accounting student and part-time cat dad who spends too much time playing video games.

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When I first mention that I am majoring in accounting to a new acquaintance, I am typically met by a mundane response. It’s not the “Oh, how fun!” or the “That is so cool!” response, but rather the “Really? I wouldn’t think of you doing that” or the awkward, trying to be respectful type of smile accompanying a “That’s Interesting..” line.

I can’t fault people for thinking that way as accounting is not for everyone, but there is a stigma around business being a boring area of study. Yes, accounting includes lots of numbers and calculations, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the people pursuing the degree are all about business and cannot enjoy the fun things in life.

I was able to talk to Joe Beardsley, a classmate of mine, about a typical day in his life while majoring in accounting. Alongside attending the Tabor School of Business, he also plays on the Millikin Men’s Basketball team.

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He explained how it is important to him to balance his schoolwork along with his busy basketball schedule. “Finding a good balance can be difficult, but determination is key” Joe says.

Joe starts his days with his usual business classes such as managerial accounting, where he has to prepare financial statements and compute components that go into budgeting. He then progresses through his other business classes, such as economics.

After his classes, he typically takes the time he has to work on assignments that are due soon. He explains that he “takes any opportunity to get work done.” But, his student athlete status also plays a major role in his everyday life. When not working on schoolwork, Joe is either hitting the gym or at basketball practice. Basketball has been something he has been passionate about since his high school days, so continuing his time in basketball is important. After his time in class, working on schoolwork, and at basketball practice, just like a majority of college students, he enjoys hanging out with his roommates and friends here at Millikin.

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I also had the opportunity to talk to one of my accounting professors, Shailesh Patel, about his first-hand experience in the accounting world, as well as teaching it here at Millikin. Dr. Patel has worked at multinational companies and has experience as a Chief Financial Officer. He enjoys applying performance learning strategies in his teaching and helping his students prepare for practical accounting skills. Dr. Patel has not only found success in the field of accounting, but also in his teaching career.

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I asked Dr. Patel if he believed there was a stigma around the accounting profession. He believes that although accounting is a “critical profession” that requires “dedication and organization,” not everything comes down to just spreadsheets and numbers. Dr. Patel enjoys his own leisure activities, such as hiking and following the latest developments in the business world. “Focus and perseverance is the key to success in the accounting profession” Patel says. He advises that students find their optimal work-life balance, as success will not come with unfocused work.