Emma Thistle
Emma Thistle
Class Year
’25
Hometown
Grafton, Wisconsin
Major(s)
Accounting
Minor(s)
Mathematics
Emma Thistle ’25 was drawn to Carthage because of the opportunity to play for the women’s basketball team, the ability to complete her accounting degree in four years, and the convenience of being close to home.
Emma also values the support and inspiration she receives from Carthage professors and staff. Thanks to the resources provided by The Aspire Center, Carthage’s career development program, she was able to build a strong resume. “I liked having this resource to use because it made me more confident when submitting my resume to companies,” she says. Her professors also played a key role in helping her secure two internship positions. With this hands-on experience and preparation, she’s already lined up a job for after graduation.
Learn more about the Aspire Program
Why Carthage?
“I chose to attend Carthage for a few reasons. I wanted to continue playing basketball in college. When visiting the school, I met with the coaches and team and saw Carthage’s amazing athletics facilities. I liked it all. I also liked the distance Carthage is from my hometown. I knew that if I was going to play basketball, I did not want to be far from home and my family.”
“On the academic side, I liked that I would receive an excellent education if I attended Carthage. Carthage’s four-year graduation guarantee stood out to me when choosing schools. I knew I wanted to study accounting but did not want to spend five years in school when I could graduate with my degree in four. My experience with the Carthage Accounting Department has been nothing short of excellent.”
Faculty mentors
“Professor Julie Dawson is someone who has guided me through my accounting major throughout my college career. Not only is she a great professor who has taught me so many things, but she is also my advisor who has shown me a path into public accounting after college. She encouraged me to apply for internships at the right times. Now I have a job lined up after college — huge thanks to her and all my other accounting professors. I would not be where I am without all of them.”
Campus involvement
“I am on the women’s basketball team. I love how D III, specifically Carthage, makes it possible for its students to succeed both on the court and in the classroom. Many professors are understanding of our involvement outside of class, and a lot of them take an interest in our games. Being on the team for four years has taught me so many things. I have become a better leader, teammate, worker, time manager, and more.”
“I am also an e-board member of the Carthage Accounting Association. We get to work with professors and faculty to plan and run events within the Accounting Department. During the spring semester of my junior year, I began tutoring accounting courses. I love Carthage’s Office of Peer Tutoring and think it is an excellent resource for all students.”
Internships or campus employment
“Carthage has so many connections to firms and alumni that finding internships is easy. There are so many job opportunities in accounting. I had two summer internships during my time here. The first one was with Vrakas CPAs in Brookfield, Wis. My second one was with Deloitte in Milwaukee, Wis.”
Favorite spot on campus
“I love Carthage’s athletics facilities.”
Best study tip
“Stay organized. All professors, classes, and tests are different. What helped me overcome this was figuring out what study strategies worked for me depending on the class type and professor. Once I did this, I was more confident in my studying and test preparation.”
Best tip for making friends
“Get involved! I am so happy I decided to continue playing basketball because that’s how I met some of my best friends.”