My name is Lindell Blount, and I am up rising junior at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) majoring in accountancy. Growing up. I saw that having financial literacy was very important. My parents had an income and a very good job but their poor decisions financially made it very hard for us to survive. I saw that their decision making was because they didn’t have the knowledge about money and etc. So once i took a financial literacy class in high school and I knew from there I wanted to help others with managing their money who was just like my parents. I am focused on building a strong foundation in accounting while also developing important skills that will help me in my future career.
At SIUE I have had multiple experiences that have helped me grow both academically and personally. I took a public speaking class that helped me become more confident when speaking in front of others. I also participated in a CODES project where my group focused on the lack of water equity in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, and partnered with HeartLands Conservancy. This project gave me the opportunity to work with others and present real-world issues. I also interned with the nonprofit organization Chicago CRED, where I worked with the financial team under a senior accountant and gained experience in a professional environment.
From these experiences, I learned the importance of collaboration and speaking up instead of staying quiet. I also became more confident in my public speaking by practicing and presenting my work during the CODES project. These experiences helped me understand how important communication and teamwork are, especially in professional settings.
In the future, my goal is to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and work at a large firm. I want to continue building my skills and gaining experience so I can be successful in my career.