Building confidence, embracing leadership: Accounting student’s rise to success at Trulaske

Written by Sara Diedrich

When Abel Ambessie crosses the stage Friday to accept his diploma, this aspiring young accountant will walk with a confidence he once thought unattainable when he first arrived at the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business. 

Beyond his combined Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Accountancy in the 150-hour integrated program, Trulaske provided Ambessie with transformative experiences that sharpened his leadership skills and reshaped his self-image. These invaluable opportunities have set him firmly on a path toward inevitable success – and helped him secure a fulltime job on the technology risk team with EY in Kansas City.

“What I’ve learned is, above all else, I am capable,” Ambessie said. 

Finding a degree program

A native of Olathe, Kansas – deep in KU country – Ambessie grew up surrounded by friends planning to attend colleges in Kansas and Arkansas. But he chose a different path and accepted an offer to join the Trulaske College of Business at Mizzou. There, his involvement in the Vasey Academy and Cornell Leadership Program (CLP) helped him settle in, build confidence and find his direction. 

When he first arrived, Ambessie wasn’t sure which area of business he wanted to pursue. His mentors at the Vasey Academy, both accounting majors, encourage him to explore the School of Accountancy. 

“What I learned is you can’t go wrong with a degree in accounting,” Ambessie said. “It provides so much job security and a solid foundation in business.”

In the beginning, the switch to accounting felt overwhelming for Ambessie, who began to question his choice. The program’s intensity was intimidating, but with the guidance of his Vasey mentors and the support of his first accounting instructor, Assistant Professor Jeffery Piao, he overcome his initial fears and began to excel. 

“Professor Piao did a great job calming us all down and walking us through the content, making sure we were grasping the material and taking advantage of his office hours,” Ambessie recalled. “Having him as my instructor made a huge difference and today, I couldn’t be happier that I stuck with it.

Becoming a leader

Through his involvement with the Vasey Academy and CLP, Ambessie also discovered an ability to lead and inspire others – qualities he hadn’t fully realized in himself. He eventually became chapter president of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) and spearheaded the group’s corporate trip to Chicago, where members had the opportunity to network with firms such as EY, KPMG, William Blair and Protiviti. 

Ambessie also took part in the Tigers on Wall Street program, where he and fellow CLP members met with business professional from top firms in New York’s financial sector. It was another experience-centered learning opportunity that opened his eyes to the career possibilities available to him with an accounting degree.

Both trips were life-changing experiences for Ambessie. 

“These experiences and leadership roles forced me out of my comfort zone, and I began to grow as a person,” he said. “Whenever you do that, you begin to see the full picture of who you are and who you can become. I began to realize I can talk in front of a crowd of people and be fine; I can lead an organization like NABA and be fine; I can do all these different things and be fine. It gave me the confidence that I needed to move ahead.”

Ambessie credits several key mentors who were instrumental in his journey, including Mary Beth Marrs, director of CLP and former director of the Vasey Academy, Charlie Frey, advisor for NABA and assistant director of 150-hour and Master of Accountancy programs, and Tim Hill, assistant teaching professor, under whom Ambessie served as a graduate assistant. 

“Each of these individuals played a significant role in my life and helped shape me into the person I am today,” he said. 

Making memories

Among Ambessie’s favorite Mizzou memories is rushing Faurot Field after the Tigers upset No. 15 Kansas State on a 61-yard field goal – an experience made extra sweet because his high school friends from K State were at the game. 

“I was in the eighth or ninth row of the student section, and we just sprinted to the field,” he said. “We were on top of the world!”

A life-long soccer player, Ambessie made some of his closest friends at Mizzou while playing pick-up games on Stankowski field. He eventually played intramurals and even joined a coed team with campus ministries. 

“All I had to do was show up at Stank with a soccer ball and people would come to play,” he said. “It was an awesome way to meet people.”

Ambessie was an active member of 812 Ministries, serving as vice president. He played a key role in organizing Summer Welcome Week, leading small group sessions, and driving outreach efforts. He is especially grateful to David Kissinger, the director of 812, for his support and guidance in his faith journey. 

“Being part of a community is so important,” he said.

Giving back

Today, Ambessie is giving back by mentoring others in the Vasey Academy – a role he never imagined for himself when he first arrived at Trulaske. He is now the leader other students turn to for advice about classes and careers.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is you get out what you put in,” he said. “That’s what I tell the new students I mentor. I see so much of myself in them. Now, I can share my experience with them and hopefully boost their confidence and let them know they are capable, too.”