Inspiring Graduate: Rosella Wille (’26)
- Hometown: Cannon Falls, Minnesota
- Degree: B.S. Business Administration with a concentration in Management Accounting
- Minors: Investment & Finance, Economics
Rosella Wille was inspired to attend UW-Stout by successful alumni who spoke highly of their experiences at Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University. Now, after her own noteworthy academic and athletic career, Wille herself is poised to become one of those outstanding alums.
As an incoming student, Wille said, “I saw the opportunity to gain a quality, hands-on education through internships and real-world projects that would help me build my skills and prepare for my career.”
Wille was among more than 1,000 students who crossed the commencement stage on May 16. In addition to earning a B.S. in business administration and completing three internships, Wille played forward on the women’s basketball team, reaching the NCAA Division III Final Four in 2025 and earning Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Sportsmanship Team honors this spring.
“Being part of a competitive team taught me strong time management as I balanced practices, travel and academics,” Wille said. “It also strengthened my teamwork, accountability and ability to stay focused on shared goals under pressure. Those skills have made a big impact on my overall college experience and will carry into my career.”
Wille also served as student assistant coach for the Blue Devils women’s flag football team, which won the inaugural Midwest College Women’s Flag Football League Championship in 2025.
“That experience allowed me to step into a leadership role and mentor other athletes,” she said. “Coaching helped me develop stronger communication skills, patience and the ability to motivate and support others.”
After graduation, Wille will begin her career as a tax associate at Redpath and Company and make a fast break toward her next goal: studying for and completing the CPA exam.
How do you hope to make an impact in your field?
I hope to make an impact in my field by building strong relationships with individuals and providing trustworthy guidance to help them feel more confident about their finances. Taxes and accounting can be stressful or confusing for many people, so I want to be someone clients can rely on to explain things clearly and support their financial goals. Ultimately, I want to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives beyond just preparing returns by helping them make informed decisions for their future.
How has UW-Stout prepared you to work in your field?
UW-Stout has prepared me well for a career in accounting by providing professors who came directly from the field and brought their real-world experiences into lectures and labs. Learning from their perspectives helped me understand how accounting concepts apply in practice, not just theory.
The business program also required me to take courses across multiple areas like human resources, business law, management and marketing. That broad foundation will help me better understand my clients’ business and collaborate with coworkers from different departments. Overall, Stout has helped me build both my technical knowledge and the well-rounded business perspective needed to succeed in my career.
What did you learn from your internship experiences?
During my college career, I completed three internships. Two were in Menomonie and one was in Minneapolis. My first internship was at a bookkeeping company, where I built a strong foundation in the basics of bookkeeping and developed strong attention to detail.
My second internship was in Minneapolis at Foundation X, where I was introduced to philanthropy and the nonprofit space. I learned how strategic giving can make a meaningful impact and how individuals and families align their financial goals with causes they care about. That experience opened my eyes to the importance of thoughtful charitable planning and finding better, more effective ways to do good.
Lastly, I worked as a finance intern at Waznik Heike Group, where I helped prepare for client meetings and learned more about financial advising and client relationships. That role reinforced how important trust, preparation and communication are when working directly with individuals.
The greatest lesson I took from my internships is that you won’t know everything starting out and that’s OK. What matters most is being eager to learn, asking questions and staying open to feedback. I realized that everyone around you has something valuable to teach you, and growth comes from being willing to continuously improve.
What stands out about your UW-Stout experience?
My UW-Stout experience stands out to me because of the professors. They are genuinely invested in their students, not just academically but personally and professionally as well. They truly want you to understand the material and succeed beyond the classroom. Their willingness to share real-world experiences, offer guidance and make themselves available for questions made a big difference in my learning and overall college experience.
What challenges did you face in earning your degree, and how did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges I faced in earning my degree was not knowing exactly what I wanted to do at first. I changed my major a couple of times while trying to figure out where I truly fit. Instead of seeing that as a setback, I used it as an opportunity to explore different classes and speak with mentors, professors and professionals to gain clarity.
Over time, those conversations and experiences led me to this specific degree and career path. I also learned to put less pressure on myself to have everything figured out right away. Once I started focusing on learning and enjoying the journey, rather than stressing about having a perfect plan, everything began to fall into place.
What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?
I am most proud of being a student athlete on the women’s basketball team. Our season ran through both the fall and spring semesters, so I never really had an off season during the academic year. Balancing practices, games, travel and a full course load was challenging at times, but I stayed disciplined and put my head down to get the work done.
That experience pushed me to grow in ways beyond the classroom. It strengthened my work ethic, resilience and ability to manage my time effectively. Finishing my degree while competing at a high level is something I am truly proud of because it reflects the commitment and perseverance I brought to my college experience.
