UWA becomes home for Mobile native
Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo: Cody Ingram
As Lila-Camille Knizley nears graduation, the accounting major from Mobile is finding it hard to say goodbye to a place that has come to feel like home. She will graduate from the baby直播 on May 9, earning a degree much different than her original college plans included.
In high school, Knizley envisioned a future in occupational therapy. However, she started feeling uncertain as she researched the field and the competitive nature of getting accepted into OT school. Seeking guidance, she turned to her dad鈥檚 best friend, 鈥淯ncle Scott,鈥� who gave her simple, practical advice, 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 know what to study,鈥� he told her, 鈥渟tudy finance.鈥�
She did that until her first accounting class at UWA鈥攚hen everything changed. 鈥�Accounting made me think in ways I never had before, and something just clicked,鈥� Knizley says.
After switching majors, she wasted no time using her growing skill set. As a freshman, she took on the role of treasurer for Phi Mu, her sorority.
鈥淚t was a huge undertaking,鈥� Knizley admits. 鈥淏ut I could apply what I learned鈥攅specially from my Personal Financial Planning course鈥攖o manage the sorority鈥檚 finances.鈥�
Her leadership didn鈥檛 stop there. She became Phi Mu鈥檚 president in her sophomore year, serving for two years.
鈥淩unning a sorority is like running a business, and businesses can鈥檛 function without money,鈥� she says. 鈥淏eing treasurer prepared me to lead. It鈥檚 not just fun and games; it鈥檚 budgeting, logistics, and problem-solving. My accounting classes taught me that no matter what you鈥檙e doing, you need money to make it happen.鈥�
In May 2022, having gained work experience in the President鈥檚 Office at UWA, Knizley contacted her advisor, accounting professor Sharon Stipe, about summer opportunities in her field. That conversation led her to a position as an accounting assistant in UWA鈥檚 Office of Sponsored Programs, Research, and Outreach. There, she worked alongside executive director Rodney Granec and his team on spreadsheets, travel reimbursements, office bills, and budgeting.
鈥淚鈥檝e spent so much time with them, they鈥檝e become my university family,鈥� Knizley says. 鈥淚 know I can call on any of them, night or day, and they鈥檒l always be there.鈥�
Perhaps her favorite part of working in the Office of Sponsored Programs was her involvement in digital literacy efforts through the Connecting Minority Communities grant. Working with digital technology coordinator Hayden McDaniel, she helped community members learn how to use iPads on-site and through the program鈥檚 mobile tech facility, Skills on Wheels.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been eye-opening to see how many people have never seen or even held an iPad,鈥� she shares. 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful for the opportunity to help others bridge the technology gap. And I feel blessed to have access to technology others are now experiencing.鈥�
The summer before her senior year, Knizley interned with the baby直播 Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, traveling around South baby直播 and gaining firsthand experience in financial audits.
鈥淥nce I started, I found out my supervisor, Mrs. Waters, lived just a few streets over from me back home 鈥攁nd we鈥檇 never met,鈥� Knizley says. 鈥淪he was sweet, patient, and a great teacher. She let me make mistakes but never made me feel bad about them. She always helped me learn and grow from them. It was an amazing experience.鈥�
When she returned to UWA, she resumed her work with the Office of Sponsored Programs. By then, she had developed a new appreciation for how diverse and impactful a career in accounting could be.
鈥淢ost people think accounting is just crunching numbers and looking at spreadsheets,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut Mr. Rodney is using his accounting degree to impact the community. He has the biggest heart for people. I鈥檓 so grateful I鈥檝e learned from someone like him.鈥�
Heading into her final semester, Knizley wasn鈥檛 sure where she鈥檇 land, but she believed everything would fall into place. 鈥淚 knew I鈥檇 end up exactly where I was meant to be.鈥�
On New Year鈥檚 Day, she got a text from her mentor and fellow Phi Mu alumna, Kaley Akin. They had previously discussed the possibility of Knizley joining BMSS Advisors and CPAs, the public accounting firm where Akin worked. Knizley had jokingly said she鈥檇 only consider it if the firm opened a Mobile office.
鈥淗er text message said they were opening a Mobile office,鈥� Knizley recalls with a smile.
After interviewing in February and accepting a staff accountant position with the firm, she will begin her new role in September and spend the summer studying for the CPA exam.
鈥淲alking by faith isn鈥檛 always easy,鈥� Knizley says. 鈥淏ut I knew if I left my career in God鈥檚 hands, everything would fall into place. I didn鈥檛 know how鈥攂ut I knew He would work it out. I couldn鈥檛 be more excited.鈥�