UNK Students Slow Nebraska’s Brain Drain

Students at the University of Nebraska at Kearney receive an excellent education, making them more than ready to join the workforce. Unlike a lot of recent college graduates, UNK students tend to start their professional lives close by instead of leaving the state. For companies like KSO CPAs and Advisors, this steady flow of accomplished professionals contributes to the success they have enjoyed for decades.

According to Mindy Oman, who graduated with honors from UNK with degrees in Accounting and Management Information Systems, KSO is “very heavily staffed by UNK grads.” She has worked at the company for the past 23 years as a CPA, helping the community with accounting services as well as offering financial advice such as assisting others with the start-up of a new business. In addition to the services offered year-round, KSO is extremely busy each year during tax season. It is during these months that UNK interns help KSO lighten their heavy workload.

As head of personnel at KSO, Oman takes advantage of the talent pipeline offered by the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Using “Handshake” is one way she can make connections with future employees. This online system allows businesses to post jobs and students to discover opportunities such as jobs, volunteer work, and internships. By logging in with their Loper email and password, students can also share their resumes with potential employers. Five UNK students, who are in their junior and senior years, are currently honing their craft while interning at KSO.

This type of on-the-job training is nothing new for UNK students. Professors at the College of Business of Technology regularly use an experiential teaching style which contributes to their students graduating from college ready to begin their chosen career. UNK offers many undergraduate business degrees for those wishing to enter the world of finance. Students can also choose to take advantage of the variety of business minors. Future CPAs can obtain their Bachelor’s and Master’s in five years by pursuing their Master of Business Administration Degree.

Accounting students at UNK can join the Nebraska Society of CPAs at no cost simply by being a student. There are several other opportunities to help them transition from student to professional such as the numerous campus organizations that provide students with experience in the world of finance before they step off campus and suit up for their first job.

For business professionals such as Oman, making connections with future employees includes visits to the campus of UNK. She shares that KSO CPAs and Advisors choose to be a Leadership Employer Partner with the College of Business and Technology to take advantage of the pool of talented UNK students whose skills are so valuable to the Kearney community.

Oman’s CPA firm also attends  UNK’s Career Fair every year to share what they have to offer while mingling with future potential employees. She shares that another way meaningful connections occur is at the yearly Meet the Firms Night hosted by the College of Business and Technology. She is grateful for the proactive way UNK creates events where accounting firms can meet with students interested in a career in accounting.

Not all connections between the college and KSO occur on campus. The firm hosts a catered dinner yearly where they invite students who are part of Beta Alpha Psi, an international honorary organization for financial students and professionals, to visit and learn more about their future profession. Oman shares that KSO thinks “it’s a great relationship.” She appreciates the “great benefit” of having an office that is “very heavily staffed with UNK grads.”

For those studying at UNK’s College of Business and Technology, much thought has been given to creating an atmosphere where what is learned in the classroom can be practiced in the real world. With the many connections deliberately forged between the campus and the business community of Kearney, it’s no surprise that Lopers have put a halt to the Brain Drain which is the bane of many college towns across America.

Mindy Oman knows what everyone at UNK understands. Students from the College of Business and Technology graduate ready to give back to their community. One of the ways they do this is by contributing to the business district of Kearney. The academic knowledge they’ve spent years gaining coupled with the professionalism acquired from the many off-campus opportunities make UNK grads the perfect choice for businesses looking to hire new employees. Brain Drain simply isn’t happening in Kearney, Nebraska thanks to the homegrown professionals who cross the stage every year at UNK’s graduation.

Related Pages: KSO CPA and Advisors