Learning the ins and outs of business from an entrepreneurial parent is no easy task. For Sidney Diec, a junior from Wichita majoring in finance with a public relations minor, her father’s influence has led her down a successful path as a Kansas State business major.
Diec’s experience with business started at a young age, and while in high school she participated in two business organizations. Her high school coordinator was passionate about business and that’s what fueled some of her interest in the subject. The high school coordinator is also the one that opened her eyes to the opportunities at K-State.
Admittedly, most of her family sides with the big in-state rival, but her visit as a high school student sold her on K-State. She views her time at K-State and in Manhattan as an opportunity to experience the whole college experience away from her hometown. Diec has made the most of her opportunities by staying involved on campus.
She is a member of a sorority, the Student Finance Association, a Powercat Financial Advisory Board Member and an active participant with the Professional Advantage Program. She says the Professional Advantage Program drove her to do better in interviews and get good grades in class. She has also benefitted from her opportunity to work with an Executive Mentor.
Diec completed an internship with a local bank in high school and is matched up with the Chief Financial Officer at UMB Bank through the Executive Mentor Program. She says her mentor “is always willing to give advice and has really opened up his family to me. We meet on a regular basis and exchange emails regularly.” Diec is grateful that the mentors care about the success of current K-State business students by providing them with their time and advice. She hopes to serve as an active Executive Mentor in the future