Lilly “Izzy” Saettele, Senior Accounting major, Computer Info Systems minor
Involved at UCA:
Accounting Club President
(Outstanding Accounting Club Member 2024)
Girls Who Code Treasurer
COB Student Ambassador 2022, 2023, 2024
Beta Alpha Psi member
Business Analytics Competition 2023
Why did you choose your field of study?
I was originally a marketing major. During my sophomore fall semester, I had to take Accounting 1, and I was absolutely dreading it. Once I got into it, I found that not only is it not that bad, I really enjoyed it. Before the end of the semester, I officially changed my major. In accounting, even if the answer is hard to find at first, I feel satisfied when I can figure it out and get the right answer. It isn’t frustrating for me like homework can sometimes be.
Tell us about your internship experience.
I have had one internship in the spring, and I’m starting another this summer. Handshake – I received a message from someone at the firm wanting to tell me about their internships, and then I got to meet some of the team at Meet the Firms. For the first internship I have completed – I felt really comfortable with this firm. I could tell that they really care about their employees, and they were patient and understanding with me as I was learning. It was a paid internship for a minimum of 25 hours a week but not to exceed 40. They also let me set my own hours and were very understanding of other school commitments.
How do you think this internship will be/has been beneficial in your career?
I learned so much more about taxes. Since I’ve never had an office job before, it has been really nice to get to see the dynamic and community of it. I’ve gotten so much experience actually working on the tax forms that I feel like I definitely have a better understanding of everything I’ve been learning in my tax classes. I definitely have a better understanding of why we do things a certain way.
What advice do you have for students who may (or may not) be considering an internship?
It is definitely a very beneficial experience if you are ready for it. I think it is important to be honest with yourself and see if you think now is the right time for you to do one because you don’t want to take away from school. An internship is really the best way to see if a certain career is right for you. My internship solidified my belief that tax is the right place for me.
Something that really helped set me apart from other candidates when applying for internships was the fact that I worked on campus for two semesters as a supplemental instruction leader. I worked for Student Success here on campus to plan activities and games to help students in Accounting 1 understand the material better. Employers really liked this because, in public accounting, it is so important to be able to explain accounting concepts and regulations to people who don’t know much about accounting. Leading supplemental instruction gave me so much experience with communication and working with others. It definitely helped me prepare for my internship.
How do you plan to use your degree?
After I graduate, I’m going to stay at UCA to get my MAcc and prepare for the CPA exams. I’m planning to stay in the central Arkansas area and work in tax at a public accounting firm.
What tips or advice would you give to new, current, or prospective business students?
Get involved! The College of Business always has fun stuff going on. Club meetings are a great way to meet fellow students and to connect with professors. Talking with faculty members is so beneficial, even if they aren’t in your department.
I 100% would recommend the UCA College of Business to anyone looking into going to school for business. Something I really like about it is that UCA as a whole is big enough that you’re always meeting new people, but the College of Business is small enough that you are able to build relationships with people in it. I think our college is the perfect size because we are big enough to bring in so many amazing opportunities for students yet still small enough that I feel like I am valued as a student. UCA was the only college I applied to. That is a decision that I will never regret because UCA has made me feel valued as as student and cared about as a person since the day I moved onto campus.
