Castle found it through accounting. He always had an interest in the field as a student in high school, but never pursued the field further until he returned to the classroom.
“I took accounting in high school and it always interested me, but I never really applied myself when I was younger,” he said. “I told myself, ‘If I’m going to do this, why not do something that I really like?’”
Castle received his associate degree in general studies from MCC in May 2022. Just days after receiving his degree, Castle was enrolled in summer classes at UNO. Now as a full-time student, Castle immersed himself in everything offered by the College of Business Administration.
Organizations like Beta Alpha Psi, where Castle served as president, and Beta Gamma Sigma helped create an environment where Castle could feel welcome as a student.
“I’m transitioning from blue-collar factory work, I’ve never experienced a college campus before, and frankly, I’m old enough to be the father of some of my classmates,” he said. “So sometimes I did struggle, but organizations like Beta Alpha Psi, along with some of the amazing faculty at UNO, really helped me feel comfortable here.”
The School of Accounting has also given Castle the hands-on experience necessary for success after graduation. This summer, Castle will begin an internship with KPMG — one of the four largest accounting firms in the world.
As a nontraditional student, Castle said he never would have expected to work at such a place this early in his career.
“You read about the Big Four accounting firms in your introduction to accounting classes, and all I could think about was ‘Oh my God, it would be so cool to work at a place like that,’” he said. “I think it also says something about the quality of this school. I don’t think it gets the credit it deserves.”
Castle plans to become a tax accountant after he graduates in May 2025. From there, he’s not sure where his career will take him.
While that may sound daunting for some, Castle is excited to make the most of the options and credibility that come with a bachelor’s degree from UNO’s College of Business Administration.
“One of the reasons I worked at the same place for over a decade is because that was the skill set that I had and it wasn’t really a transferable skill set,” he said. “Thanks to the university and those who support the School of Accounting, I have options now.”
