It all adds up: COB student combines experiences, teachers' advice for a successful future

The accounting and finance major is looking forward to her April 26 commencement ceremony.

Mallett, a Chancellor's Medallion recipient, has a tax staff position lined up at Plante Moran, where she just finished an internship.

She said she feels confident because of the skills she acquired through her two internships, her College of Business courses and her time with Beta Alpha Psi, an international honors organization for accounting, finance and information systems.

And Mallett said she had the best off-campus math teacher and life coaches there are—her parents.

“I was homeschooled and my parents laid my educational foundation. My dad is an engineer and he taught math to my five siblings and me. He expected a lot from us, but he made it interesting and easy to apply. My mom encouraged me to take business classes when I got to college,” said Mallett, an Ypsilanti Township native. “That's how I ended up finding what type of math I was interested in—getting numbers to balance. There's such a satisfaction in that.”

Not only does she find the numbers interesting, Mallett also likes how she can use her skills to help others.

“Through the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program on campus, I worked with underprivileged individuals and I saw how finding a tax credit they didn't know they could take could make all the difference in their lives,” said Mallett, who planned Beta Alpha Psi's service events. “I'm glad that my university gave me that opportunity to help others. Volunteering is something I plan to continue to do.”

Mallett said she's ready to take that next step in her journey. She said no matter where her future takes her, she knows that she'll always have the support of UM-Dearborn's faculty and staff.

“I knew this was the right place for me before I even came to campus. It's a University of Michigan education with smaller class sizes and extremely dedicated faculty,” she said. “I took advantage of office hours and my teachers always let me know of opportunities, including the one at Plante Moran that led to my job offer.”

Most of all, she's grateful to have the opportunity to do what she loves.

“I'm so happy to start work on Plante Moran's tax staff. I've always liked math, but I now know the exact way that I want to work with numbers,” she said. “There's such a feeling of certainty to it. When everything balances, you know you are doing things right.”