Andrea Altsadt '04

I graduated from UA Fort Smith in 2004 with a bachelor’s in accounting, and served as President of the Business Society. For six months following graduation, I worked as an intern at the Fort Smith Ernst & Young office while obtaining the 150 hours I needed to sit for the CPA exam. I went on to work for Ernst & Young in Fort Smith for another two years on clients such as what was then Beverly Enterprises, Arkansas Best Corporation and Baldor Motor Generators.

 (At work at Edward Jones)

Following this period, I transferred to the St. Louis Ernst & Young office. After a couple additional years there, focusing primarily on healthcare systems and property and casualty insurance clients I left public accounting to work at a broker dealer. Over the last two years I have worked at Edward Jones corporate headquarters in St. Louis. Currently I work with revenue strategies and analyses within the finance division.

The education I received at UA Fort Smith, along with quality one on one time with professors allowed me to make the most of my undergraduate experience eventually leading to success in my career. Since leaving public accounting, I take pleasure in spending time with family and friends and frequent traveling, such as trips through the UK, NYC, Chicago and repeat trips along the CA coast. The additional time I have out of work has also allowed me to volunteer with the women’s ministry at my church, for a regional animal rescue facility and for a local St. Louis VITA tax preparation program.

(With my aunt in Central Park in NYC)

  

 (At St. Michaels Mount)

This year I plan to return to the UK and make a stop-over in France. As I write this I am sitting in Chicago, enjoying a weekend away visiting friends in town from San Diego, my home before Fort Smith.

(Buying art in Falmouth, UK)

Although life and work has taken me away from my four year stay in Fort Smith, my experience with the students and faculty (specifically Mr. Howard Puckett, Mr. George Schmidt and Mr. David Dearman) of UA Fort Smith and the town of Fort Smith will always recall pleasant memories for me.