After a 25-year career working as an accountant in the construction industry, Tracy Kizewski took the leap into teaching. Today she is the Department Chair for the FVTC Accounting program and loves being a mentor to her students.

“What I enjoy most are the student relationships that develop, and being able to support them,” she says. “When I went to school to be an accountant, I had no idea I'd be able to impact people's lives in this way. When a student reaches out and tells me I made a difference in their life, or I help a student get a job, that's the best feeling.”

What classes do you teach?

I teach Financial Accounting 1, which is our starting class for any Accounting program student that's coming in, as well as Banking & Finance students. I also teach our Advanced Payroll class and our Capstone class, which our two-year associate degree students take. They do the bookwork for a small landscaping business from January through December—all the financials, the taxes. It's really incorporating everything they’ve learned. That's my favorite class, so I'm glad I get to teach it.

What did you do before you worked at FVTC?

Way back when I decided to go to school, I thought about becoming a teacher at the college level, but at the time didn't really know that I could. I loved accounting, so I went into that field. I had 25 years of experience in accounting before coming to FVTC. My last role was as a controller at a construction company, which is my second love. I've worked at two construction companies in the Fox Valley.

When FVTC launched the Construction Management program, I took a blueprint reading course, got to know the instructor, and he asked if I’d be interested in teaching construction accounting. So I taught that class as an adjunct for four years, and I fell in love with it. When the full-time Accounting department chair job opened up, I applied for it, and here I am 10 years later, loving every bit of it.

Teaching as an adjunct instructor first was really helpful, because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make the switch. But being in front of that classroom was just so impactful. I walked out that first class just feeling this joy of being able to share the knowledge that I've learned with people.

What do you enjoy most about the classes you teach?

What I enjoy most honestly are the student relationships that develop, and getting to know the students, being able to support them and help them find jobs, help them reach their goals.

When I went to school to be an accountant, I had no idea I'd be able to impact people's lives in this way. Just being able to work with them, show grace to them when they need it, it's my favorite part. When a student reaches out and tells me I made a difference in their life, or I help a student get a job, that's the best feeling. That's why we're here.

What’s one piece of advice you have for students?

Communicate with people on campus, not just your instructor, but reach out if you're having any sort of issues. That includes our online students; just because you may be a 100% online student doesn't mean that we're not here to help you. We have a wonderful, gracious, forgiving staff, and we just want our students to succeed. There are so many resources here on campus; I don't even know them all. If a student comes to me with a concern or a problem, I tell them, I may not know, but I'll get them to where the resources are. Things like the Food Pantry, the Campus Care Clinic, the gym, clubs and organizations… they’re wonderful benefits. I never had those in school.

What’s the best professional advice you’ve ever received?

There are three things that I've always lived by professionally:

• Number one, don't ever turn down a job opportunity that someone may throw your way. Apply for it. Because you never know. It might turn out to be your dream job or it might not, but if that person sees you later down the road and they say, “hey, did you apply for that?” and you say no, they might not recommend you again. So if you say you're going to do it, do it.
• Second, I don't believe in accepting counter offers when leaving a job. Every job I've been at, I've been asked to stay. But there's a reason you're going on to something different and better. I think people should stick with that original goal.
• Third, always be open to trying something new. Even if you think you can't do it, chances are you probably can. I mean, like to go from industry to teaching… who would have ever thought, right? But because I was open to being an adjunct, I found a job I love.

What skill are you currently working on?

For me personally, I attended the Wisconsin Leadership Development Institute (WLDI), a program offered through the Wisconsin Technical College System. I'm always looking for ways to lead teams better, to collaborate better with people, and just keep moving forward and not get stagnant, so I was fortunate to be selected for this yearlong program. All year you're meeting with a mentor and working on goals that you've established. It's really affected me personally and professionally. You find out how closely being a good leader in your professional life can help you in your personal life.

What’s one thing about you that might surprise your students?

There are several things that might surprise my students. First of all, I love to put together Legos. It's one of my favorite pastimes. I also love to thrift and flip things on eBay. And I'm a 24-year cancer survivor—a lot of people don’t know that!

I also think one thing that would surprise students, because our program has so many online students, is that I love to be in the classroom. Most instructors would prefer to be in the classroom face-to-face developing those relationships, but I think a lot of online students think we like to hide behind the computer as instructors, but that's not true. I'd love to meet every single one of my students in person.

What was your first job?

My very first job was a salad girl. I was 14 years old and my responsibility was just to keep the salad bar items full. I worked at a restaurant for nine years.

What was your best job?

I've been really fortunate that I have been blessed with jobs that I love. I would say this one definitely tops the list because of the I get to help people change their lives. Like I said, as an accountant/CPA, whoever thought that I would have an opportunity to impact people’s lives? I also really loved my job as the controller at a construction company; construction is one of my favorite things. So in industry, it would be my last job, but overall it's this one because I never looked back after I came here. It's just a great place to work.