Networking, experience and education add up to success for Accountancy graduate

Marching Mizzou. Intramural soccer. Panhellenic Association’s executive board. Teaching assistant. Jane Winkler truly made the most of her time at the University of Missouri. As this Overland Park, Kansas, native prepares to graduate in December with her bachelor’s and master’s in accountancy, we asked her what advice she’d give to future students in Mizzou’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business.

What kind of leadership skills did you develop in the Trulaske College of Business? 

Winkler: My biggest leadership skills I have gained come from being an Accounting 2036 TA for three semesters. I learned that stuff I say in class really can have an impact on a student and affect how they view accounting. 

I also learned hard skills at the Trulaske College of Business that helped me in leadership outside of the school. For example, I was the vice president of finance of my sorority for a year. I was learning things in my classes that made me more confident in my role and handling so much money for my sorority. Being able to apply what I was learning in class was one of the coolest things and gave me ideas for what I want my future career to be. 

What type of obstacles did you have to overcome?

Winkler: I had enough credits from high school to start in the upper level as a sophomore. That first semester in the School of Accountancy was very challenging. It felt like I had just chosen accounting to be my major, and then I was thrown into challenging upper-level courses, recruiting, and interviewing for internships. It was alarming to figure out how far in advance accounting firms recruit and select interns. My sophomore year, I secured internships for that summer and the following summer. While overwhelming, I overcame the challenge by utilizing tools from Trulaske. I would read the "BCS Buzz" emails for when accounting firms were on campus and block time in my schedule to go to networking events. That way, I already knew some faces at my first accounting career fair. I went to see Kim Hedges in Business Career Services and she helped me polish my resume and feel confident with cover letters for internships I was applying to. 

Looking back on your college career, what are the biggest lessons you’ve learned? 

Winkler: Mizzou is a huge college. There are so many people doing so many different things. When I first got to Mizzou, it was overwhelming. Should I be doing this? Should I be doing that? You have to learn how to stay in your own lane, or else you'll get lost, looking at what everyone else is doing. Figure out what it is YOU really want to do with your time. Mizzou offers anything you want to pursue. And then once you decide, don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Don't let other people dictate what you do. You do what you want to do. 

What are your favorite Mizzou memories? 

Winkler: So many! One of my favorite days at Mizzou was the K-State game my junior year. My best friend from my hometown was visiting (from K-State) and I can still see that football floating in slow-motion over the crossbar to seal a Mizzou victory. I have a picture of me on the field, my twin sister on top of my shoulders, in a crowd of celebrating Mizzou fans. That moment was one for the books. 

I was on the executive board of the Panhellenic Association as the vp of finance and records. Getting to help put on recruitment was a very fun, full-circle moment for me. I got to talk with girls as they were going through the recruitment process and reflect back on how far I'd come since I went through recruitment. 

I played a lot of intramural sports. Winning the league one year for women's soccer was super fun. Intramurals were a great way to meet other girls in my sorority and see my friends and just have fun. 

I was in Marching Mizzou for a year. Playing at the bowl game in Fort Worth was super special. I learned the alma mater while in band and it was always one of my favorite things when the band would sing it together after every rehearsal. 

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

Winkler: Frequently when I called my dad during college, he would ask me how I was doing on the three things he considered essential to four years in college — network, experience, and education. My advice to freshmen would be to excel in those three areas as much as possible. Meet people in college. Have experiences you can only get during your four years here. Take advantage of what you can learn while you are here to give yourself an edge post-grad. If you try to live out those three things, college will be fun, rewarding, and worthwhile and Mizzou is the perfect place to get amazing opportunities for all three of those things. 

What will you miss most about your time here?

Winkler: I will miss walking around Mizzou's campus. There is always something going on. I never know what or who I will see. Especially right now, during the fall, walking around campus is so beautiful and I am definitely going to miss that. 

I will miss living in an environment where people are ready to say "yes" to anything. There were so many times my friends threw out things we should do, and we all just said yes, because that is what college is for: saying yes, living large, taking opportunities when they come your way. 

I think the thing I will miss the most is not being a short walk away from all of my friends I made during my time here. Many of them graduated in May, and I've already seen them several times at Homecoming and the KU game, but never again will we all be living so close together. 

Mizzou’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business prepares students for success as global citizens, business leaders, scholars, innovators and entrepreneurs by providing access to transformative technologies, offering experience-centered learning opportunities and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset.