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People Profiles
Kayle Walls
- Hometown: Bothell, WA
- Major: Business Administration - Human Resource Management
Why Western?
Originally I came to Western for the people. I remember coming up here in high school to hang out with some of my friends and everyone was so friendly. No matter where we went I felt like I fit in.
Valuable Lessons
Steve Smith was my managerial accounting professor and he really helped me get on track in the business program. His class was so organized and he made class interesting every single day. His homework assignments were not just busy work; they made you dig into the book to better understand what he talked about in class. He taught me the best way to find the relevant information in my text books which has saved me this past year.
Preparing for the Future
I was invited to attend the College of Business and Economics Teaching Scholarship day where I was paired with a business member in the community. I got to have lunch with them and they gave me some really good advice in preparing myself for after graduation. I also was able to hear presentations on preparing for interviews, the MBA program here, and also was able to ask a panel of recent Western graduates now working in the business field any questions I wanted. It made life after college a lot less intimidating.
Managing a $2.4 Million Budget
This year I have served as the Business Director of the Associated Students. I handle most of the finances and budgeting for the programs in the AS, everything from the Outdoor Center to our radio and TV stations on campus. That sounded pretty boring at first, but there are a lot of perks to my job. I get my own office and I hear about all the concerts and events before anyone else. I even got a backstage pass to the biggest concert of the year. As a business major, this position allows me to take the things I learn in class and apply them to real-life challenges.Being able to add "overseeing a $2.4 million budget" to my resume is priceless.
A Long Mile...For a Good Cause
Volunteering for Western Men against Violence gave me an opportunity to work with the Bellingham community and really make a difference. The most memorable event of the year was our Walk a Mile in Her Shoes fundraiser. A ton of us guys literally walked a mile in women's shoes through downtown to raise money and awareness to end violence against women. It's not every day you see a herd of guys walking down the street in heels.
Creating Memories
One of my favorite memories of Western is when my uncle came up to visit freshman year. He graduated from Western not too long ago and wanted to see what it was like nowadays. I took him to Open Mic night in the Underground Coffeehouse and then we walked around campus a bit. He was amazed at all of the new programs and buildings and had so many stories to tell. I remember thinking how cool it will be in a few years when I come back and have my own stories about my time here.
After Western
When I graduate I hope to use what I have learned in the management field to recruit and train employees for a local company. My goal is to create an office environment with great people that truly enjoy coming into work each day.