Business Matters

Caleb Conner earns his degree in accountancy. After graduation, he plans to study for the CPA exam as well as enjoy a final, breezy summer vacation, and then start a career in public accounting. He’ll join Kernutt Stokes as an associate in October. It sounds almost like a cakewalk.Yet, Conner describes his degree pathway as a journey of “grit and perseverance” — and a reminder of how many challenges each graduate faces to reach this life milestone.

“As a non-traditional student, the biggest challenge I faced was striking a sustainable balance between academics, work responsibilities and my personal life,” he said. “I navigated many major life events that demanded prioritization over coursework. Keeping up with classes felt like an uphill battle during those periods.”

Notably, he thanks his wife for being his rock, his source of motivation and reassurance during times of stress and self-doubt.

“Words cannot fully capture how grateful I am to my incredible wife for her unwavering support throughout my long college experience,” Conner said. “Pursuing higher education while balancing work and family responsibilities would have been an immense challenge without her by my side. Her belief in me was unshakable, providing the encouragement I needed to persevere through late nights of studying and juggling countless commitments. I can never thank her enough for her incredible partnership.”

Conner also recognized the welcoming community that is the College of Business for providing an environment that allows for growth, both academically and personally, and he tapped into the university’s support system, from brilliant faculty to dedicated staff and driven peers. Inorder to learn from “the power of grit and leveraging support systems.”

He formed relationships with faculty mentors who generously shared their expertise. He surrounded himself with motivated peers who could support each other through the toughest challenges via collaborative study sessions and thought-provoking discussions. 

“Academic success rarely comes in isolation but by embracing humility, seeking help and going the extra mile,” he said.

With the mindset to turn every obstacle into an opportunity, Conner took on a teaching assistant position. “I’m most proud of the fact that I was able to tutor fellow students in the intermediate accounting series,” he said. “It was a challenge to help other students understand the complexities of external reporting, but it also fortified my understanding.”

He found himself mentoring on subjects beyond accounting topics, such as advising on class schedules, navigating internships, and approaches to learning, and how to stay disciplined.

“I made a conscious choice to reframe those difficult times as opportunities for personal growth,” Conner said. “Each time I had to adapt and realign my priorities; it built resilience, time management skills, and determination within me. Rather than being deterred by the juggling act, I saw it as fortifying my grit and perseverance.”