UNI’s hybrid accounting program celebrates first graduates
UNI’s hybrid accounting program celebrates first graduates
When the Wilson College of Business launched its hybrid accounting program in August 2023, Emily Junker joked that it felt like a "happy birthday gift." As a nontraditional student, she needed a way to balance life in Des Moines with pursuing a high-quality degree.
Fast forward a few years later, and the gift has officially been delivered. Junker and classmate Mayra Rotter are among the first two graduates of the innovative program, marking a major milestone for the UNI-DMACC partnership.
The program’s unique delivery — online core business courses paired with in-person evening accounting classes at the DMACC Urban campus in Des Moines — was designed for working professionals who can’t simply pack up and move to Cedar Falls.
For Rotter, a double major in accounting and business administration, the structure was the only way to reconcile her ambitions with her daily life.
The hybrid accounting program was the right fit because it allowed me to balance my personal and professional side. It was the perfect balance between online learning, hands-on experiences and being able to gain all that knowledge from our professors.
As the program matured and hit its stride, the connection to the main campus grew even stronger, Junker said. Students gained access to DMACC libraries and gyms while staying fully integrated with UNI’s financial aid and advising offices.
"There was a lot more recognition that there are a lot of students in the Des Moines area from UNI itself," Junker said.
The ultimate goal of the hybrid model is creating immediate value in the Iowa workforce — a mission Rotter embodies. Rotter currently works in human resources at WorldWide Logistics in Urbandale.
"What makes me passionate about business is creating value," Rotter said. "I truly believe that UNI has provided me with the tools that I need to keep moving up the ladder in the corporate world."
The professional impact is already visible. In addition to Rotter, Junker, who completed three internships while maintaining a full-time course load, is currently working as a tax preparer at The Capital Collective and is using her degree to qualify for the CPA exam under Iowa’s new licensure pathways.
“I’m using my degree in probably every way I can,” Junker said. “It’s been a unique experience because it feels like the students are in the driver’s seat.”
As Junker and Rotter move into the professional world, they have left behind a program that is impacting bigger cohorts of students. Junker has a “sense of pride" in seeing the class sizes grow and being able to guide newer students through the ropes.
For those still on the fence about returning to school, Rotter and Junker say that the leap is worth taking.
