Julie C. Gricol ‘08 Memorial Scholarship

Photo of Accounting major Kayla Schlachter

Lerner College accounting major Kayla Schlachter, UD Class of ‘24, is this year’s recipient of the Julie C. Gricol ‘08 Memorial Scholarship. In the following Q & A, Schlachter talks about her experiences as an accounting major at UD.

Lerner: How did you decide to pursue accounting as your major?

Schlachter: When I was younger, all of my uncles were accountants, and even though I didn’t know what it was, I would tell people that I was planning to become an accountant. Fast forward several years and while I still didn’t have a good handle on what accounting was, I knew I wanted to have a “professional office” lifestyle. So, I took my first accounting class and fell in love with it. The accounting major is pretty small so everyone quickly gets to know each other. Several of the students I’ve met in my accounting classes are my best friends. The benefit of having a tight knit group of classmates is that we can work on projects together, study together, and push each other to succeed.

Lerner: What was the best class you took in college, and why?

Schlachter: Business Law (ACCT 350) was my favorite class – it was impossible to leave that class in a bad mood! I especially found it interesting to learn about the legal background under which firms operate.

Lerner: What types of summer internships did you have? How did they enhance your learning experience?

Schlachter: This past summer, I had an internship at a brokerage firm (StoneX). I rotated among different projects to become familiar with the reporting process, regulatory compliance and other internal accounting tasks. I had a very positive experience, and I plan to join the firm full time when I graduate. I will be training with the CPAs in the firm for the necessary practical experience so that I can get certified myself.

Lerner: How have you surprised yourself while in college?

Schlachter: I didn’t always challenge myself to the fullest in high school, so when I got to UD and became an accounting major, there was a bit of a shock in terms of workload. But, I persisted and put in the time and effort to study and I was able succeed in one of the most challenging majors in the college.

Lerner Offers Grad Scholarships, AI Programs for Fall 2025

The University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics has expanded its graduate offerings for Fall 2025, including three new scholarship opportunities and three programs focused on artificial intelligence. Applications for Fall 2025 are open...

Lerner College Honors Six Outstanding Alumni at 2025 Awards

The University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics recognized six distinguished graduates during the 2025 Lerner Alumni Awards ceremony, held on Friday, June 6, in the Lerner Hall Atrium. Part of UD’s annual Alumni Weekend, the event honored...

Three SWUFE-UD Students Become First to Graduate from Newark

The more than 1,400 Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics graduates of the Class of 2025 have each travelled a long road to reach graduation. But three have travelled more than most. China natives Yihong Chen, Tingyu Zhang and Ruolan Zhi are the first...

Lerner Among 10 Undergrad Business Schools to Watch by P&Q

The University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics has been included among the 2025 10 Undergraduate Business Schools To Watch by Poets&Quants. Lerner recently jumped up 13 places this year to No. 52 in Poets&Quants’ annual ranking of...

UD Lerner names Markus Schuckert chair of HSBM

The University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics Dean Oliver Yao has announced the appointment of Markus Schuckert as chair of the Department of Hospitality and Sport Business Management (HSBM), effective Sept. 1, 2025. Schuckert will also...

Lerner’s Cheng Named DENIN Fellow for Waste Research

Assistant Professor of Marketing Andong Cheng at the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics has been named a Faculty Fellow at the Delaware Environmental Institute (DENIN) for the 2025–27 term. Cheng is the first faculty member from...