Business Alumna Julia Baum ’21 Praises LAMP Mentor For Support And Guidance
Mentors Fulfill Needs For Real-World Business Perspectives
Alumna Julia Baum ’21, of Vienna, Virginia, loves numbers. She graduated in May with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) accounting concentration and is currently enrolled in a graduate accounting program at James Madison University.
During her time at Shenandoah, Baum played women’s lacrosse; served as president of both the Student Government Association and Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional coed business fraternity; and as a member of several national honor societies, including Alpha Lambda Delta and Omicron Delta Kappa. She also participated in the inaugural Business School Legacy Golf Tournament, which raised $20,000 for an endowed scholarship for prospective regional and first-generation students.
I’m a numbers person. That is why I’m drawn to accounting and interested in becoming a CPA. Accounting can be very hard and frustrating. It can be overly complicated, but I love the challenge of tackling a complicated idea. What I love about the School of Business is that the professors really care about you and your education. The BBA with a concentration in accounting is a very flexible program, and Shenandoah gives you individualized attention.”
Julia Baum ’21 | BBA Accounting Concentration | Shenandoah University School of Business
As a four-year LAMP mentee, Baum interacted with her mentor, Stacey Black, MBA, who serves as senior director for financial control and compliance at Elavon Inc., in Knoxville, Tennessee.
She’s just the coolest person you’ll ever meet. Each year, we talked about a variety of topics, from adjusting to college life, to what to do with an accounting degree, to taking courses, to applying for internships and preparing for graduate school, to discovering what to expect after college. She introduced me to accounting professionals in a variety of fields, which just reinforces that there are a lot of things you can do with a degree in accounting.”
Julia Baum
In addition to her mentorship, Baum gained practical experience as an intern at Yount, Hyde & Barbour, a Winchester-based accounting firm.
During COVID, my YHB internship was completely online, but we talked to each other via Zoom, sharing screens. I got to work on projects for taxes, auditing, and forensic accounting. It was definitely difficult at first, but I’m really grateful to have had that internship experience.”
Julia Baum
Baum remains in touch with her mentor, a relationship she feels will last well into the future.
Stacey is a busy person with a full-time job, but her example makes me want to give back when it’s my turn.”
Julia Baum
