Before Hope College softball player Julie Sobieski received a national academic honor and excelled on the softball diamond, she was a college student trying to find her calling.
Sobieski, named a 2015 Capital One Academic Softball All-American presented by the College Sports Information Directors of America, found it. She recently graduated from Hope with a degree in public accounting.
Sobieski is taking her CPA exam this summer, then will begin working for the internationally recognized accounting firm Deloitte & Touche in Chicago.
Click here to read more about Sobieski's CoSIDA award.
Sobieski shared her story with Hope Sports Information Director Alan Babbitt.
How were you able to excel on the field and in the classroom?
Sobieski: "A lot of it is just work-life balance. You have to learn when it comes to academics when to put your focus in the classroom, and when it comes to softball, when to put your focus on the softball field. Coach (Mary VandeHoef) said 'When you walk on the field, you leave everything behind' whether you have a good day or a bad day."
Who would you like to thank?
Sobieski: "My parents were a huge part of it. My teammates were so supportive. I cannot tell you how many things they have done for me — quizzing me on the bus, bringing me food when I'm in the library, encouraging text messages and phone calls. My coaches were so supportive, knowing the challenging academic schedule I had and how much I also wanted to be successful in softball."
Why public accounting as a career?
Sobieski: "I wanted public accounting as a career as it was a way for me to help others while best utilizing my problem solving and analytical skills, and while the business world can be tough, I believe that it is a field that needs more Christians like people from Hope, and that is where my talents lead me to be."
How do you pick accounting to study at Hope?
Sobieski: "I've always been super logical and loved problem solving. When I started the pre-med program (at Augustana for a year before transferring to Hope), I wasn't a fan of it. My dad sent me an article about jobs after college and said I should check accounting out. He knew I was good at math. The first day in class in managerial accounting, I fell in love with it."
