Student: Rachel Eker
Rachel Eker is a senior majoring in accounting and finance at East Carolina University. Her love for the field stems from her parents, who were both business majors in college. She’s wanted to follow their path since she was younger.
“It’s just something I’ve always grown up around,” she said. “I wanted to be like them because I saw them enjoying their jobs.”
From Jacksonville, Florida, she chose ECU because of the Honors College and the College of Business. She enjoys being in the Honors College because it has allowed her to meet new people and take seminars that are outside of her curriculum.
She is also a Business Scholar, which allows her to meet with representatives from both the College of Business and the Honors College and discuss her passions within her career path.
During her first two years at ECU, she served on the Residence Hall Association executive board, a student-run organization that represents all of the students that live on campus. The RHA puts on campus events and is given the opportunity to attend conferences throughout the year.
Over the summer, she had an internship with Dixon Hughes Goodman, an accounting firm located in her hometown, Jacksonville. She got a chance to work on both individual and corporate tax returns, which gave her hands on experience on what she’s been learning in her courses over the past few years.
“It’s one thing just to read the book and read about deductions and returns and then to actually get to do it,” she said. “This is what I’ve been working towards for four years.”
She is currently interning in the ECU Office of Internal Audit. She enjoys this internship because it has given her an insight on how a university setting works.
“I’m helping other people follow their dreams and follow their careers,” she said.
Eker likes starting her days off early with morning classes, working for a few hours in the Audit Office, and then coming home and cooking as a way to wind down and relax before studying.
After graduation in May, she will be working for Ernst and Young, a business management-consulting firm in Jacksonville.
“All of my hard work is becoming something that I’m proud of,” she said. “Wherever I am, I’ll be happy.”
What advice do you have for other students?: Don’t procrastinate.
What is something cool about ECU that you wish you knew during your first year?: There are so many clubs and organizations for all hobbies and I don’t think I fully realized everything there was to be involved in when I was a freshman.
STATISTICS
College: College of Business
Major: Accounting and finance
Age: 21
Classification/Year: Senior
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
Hobbies/interests: Reading, swimming and golfing
Clubs and Organizations: Beta Alpha Psi
FAVORITES
Favorite hangout: The beach
Favorite place on campus: Third floor of Bate
Favorite place to eat: McAlister’s
Favorite class: Intermediate Accounting
Professor who influenced you the most: Dr. Schneider
Favorite TV show: “House of Cards”
Favorite band/musician: Halsey
Favorite movie: “Holes”
Favorite website: Instagram
MOTIVATIONS
Dream job: Being the host of my own podcast
The one thing you cannot live without: My iPhone
Role model: Emma Watson
Your words to live by: “Do your best & God will do the rest”