Turner Business Interview: Katie Cummings

Turner Business recently sat down with Katie Cummings, a senior in the Turner College, to discuss her experiences and plans for the future.

 

TB: What is your major?  When do you graduate?

 

KC:  I am an accounting major in the Turner College of Business and I will graduate in December of 2022.

 

TB: How has your experience in the Turner College of Business been?

 

KC: My experience at CSU has looked a lot different than that of traditional college students.  I went to high school here in Columbus, and I participated in the dual enrollment program on campus at CSU during my senior year of high school.  So, I started as a part-time student with the Turner College of Business as a senior in high school in the fall of 2019.  During my second semester, COVID-19 was declared a worldwide pandemic, which sent all of us home for the remainder of the semester.  Because of that I really feel like my experience began with my business classes in the fall of 2020, although it was nothing like the experience that I had before.  However, I felt that the Turner College handled it in the best way possible.  We were given a lot of flexibility through options like hybrid classes, which allowed students to get their education in the way that they felt was best for them under the circumstances.  Since the COVID-19 protocols have decreased and the classes are mostly back to “normal,” I have continued to be impressed with the Turner College of Business.  I have been able to build amazing relationships with a lot of the professors and staff through the different courses I have taken and roles that I have had.  I have spoken to numerous students from other universities and other departments within our university and I truly think that what we have at the Turner College of Business is unique. I have been nothing but impressed with the education that I have received from professors with all different types of backgrounds, as well as the personal connections that I have made that I know will carry on with me into my future.

 

TB: What extracurricular activities did you experience at CSU? If any, how were they beneficial to you?

 

KC: As I mentioned, I began my time as a full-time student on campus in the fall of 2020, during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, so it was a bit difficult for me to get involved in many extra-curricular activities until this past year when some of the restrictions were lifted.  As we were able to start holding gatherings in person again, I got involved in the accounting club.  One event that I found to be particularly beneficial to me was a student dinner hosted by the local chapter of Georgia CPAs.  This event exposed me to many CPAs of all experience levels, as well as the internship and job opportunities within each of their firms.  After being involved with the club for a semester and going to events, I was elected president of the accounting club.  This was a rather difficult position to come into given that membership had decreased significantly due to COVID-19 restrictions, but with the help of the other amazing officers, we successfully got it back into full swing.  We were able to get an alumni panel to come in and speak to accounting students about their career paths, what they experienced from graduation to their current positions, and to answer questions from students who are soon to be entering the field themselves.  Through this position with the accounting club, I also had the opportunity to serve on the student advisory panel for Dean Deborah Kidder here in the Turner College of Business and to discuss different matters within the college from a student’s perspective.  I have also been able to be a part of the Student Government Association President’s Council through my role as president of a student organization.  At the end of this past semester, I was also inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, which is the International Business Honors Society.  This honor has led to even more connections here on campus.  I will also be representing the Turner College of Business in this year’s First Year Experience Convocation student panel discussion.  All of these groups and organizations have allowed me to build so many connections with people in our college, as well as in our community, which is very comforting as I get ready to enter the workforce in just a few short months.

 

TB: Might you seek further higher education in the future?   

 

KC: I plan on pursuing a graduate degree in the future, either in accounting or business administration.  The courses here at the Turner College of Business have been very educational and informative, but I would love the opportunity to dive deeper into a lot of the concepts that I have learned.  I am starting an internship in just a couple of weeks that will involve a mix of accounting as well as general business responsibilities, so I am hoping that working in each area will help me to decide which one I want to pursue further in terms of graduate education.

 

Editor’s Note: Katie will graduate Suma Cum Laude in December of 2022.