Dakota Whaley, Accounting

Dakota Whaley is naturally inclined to get involved and give back. When she came to USF, Whaley jumped into professional development organizations that helped her develop leadership skills.

As a freshman, Whaley was accepted into the Bulls Business Community and the Business Honors Program. She says the BBC professional development programs helped her think on her feet, be more outgoing, and think analytically. This year, she returned to the BBC as a lead mentor to help motivate this year’s freshman to get involved. She has remained committed to service, co-founding the Random Acts of Kindness student service group in the Business Honors Service Association, part of the Business Honors Program, and helping to lead the soup kitchen volunteer group within the organization.

Whaley is also dedicated to her chosen major and profession of accounting. She is the vice president of the Accounting Society, where she works to build a comfortable community for students to learn about the accounting profession and build their network.

Last summer, Whaley had the opportunity to study abroad for six weeks with her Business Honors cohort in Florence, Italy. She says the experience gave her an enhanced global perspective and has helped her prepare for the professional world.

Whaley now looks forward to interning with Grow Financial Credit Union’s accounting department this summer. She will learn the roles of an accountant while being exposed to Grow’s branches, departments and leadership.