By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Sydney Owen was a Loper long before she was a college student.
As a young girl, she attended the former Child Development Center on the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus and cheered on the blue and gold at athletic events. She even served as a ball girl for the basketball, volleyball and soccer teams.
Her mother, Carla Kegley-Owen, is a senior lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, and both of her parents graduated from UNK. So did her older brother and several other family members.
In many ways, the campus has always felt like home.
“I grew up coming to UNK, so there’s always been that family connection,” Owen said. “But there’s also a strong sense of community here. The people you meet become like family, too.”
Owen has spent much of her life at UNK, but the past five years have been particularly meaningful. She’s gone from an undergraduate unsure of her career path to an accomplished accounting graduate with multiple internships under her belt and a master’s degree nearly completed.
Along the way, she discovered that the university she grew up around had plenty of new experiences to offer.
Making UNK Her Own
Although UNK was a natural choice because of her family ties, Owen considered other colleges where she could continue playing soccer or softball.
Ultimately, the Kearney Catholic graduate decided UNK offered the best combination of affordability, academic opportunities and campus size.
She joined the Honors Program as a freshman, living in Men’s Hall with other high-achieving students, and quickly became involved in campus activities.
A former multisport athlete, Owen was especially drawn to intramurals, participating in everything from flag football, basketball, bowling and volleyball to broomball, pickleball, dodgeball and miniature golf.
“I loved intramurals. I played almost every sport possible,” she said. “It gave me a chance to be competitive and keep athletics in my life, plus I got to meet a lot of great people from all across campus.”
Fittingly, she received the Leland and Jean Copeland Intramural Participant of the Year Award.
Her involvement didn’t stop when the games ended.
Owen held leadership positions in the Honors Program and Mortar Board honor society and was active in Loper Programming and Activities Council and Beta Gamma Sigma and Beta Alpha Psi honor societies. She also volunteered with Special Olympics Nebraska.
Her contributions were recognized with the Nester Student Leadership Award, which honors outstanding seniors for their academic achievement, service, character and leadership.
“I think I do better when I’m busy,” Owen said with a smile. “I really enjoy meeting new people and making those connections. Being involved made my college experience about so much more than just going to class.”
Owen continues to volunteer with Special Olympics, and she serves as an assistant coach for Kearney Catholic softball, which recently won the Class C state championship.
Inside the classroom, Owen found another passion.
She entered UNK as a business administration major but wasn’t sure which area she wanted to pursue. That changed when associate professor Sarah Borchers encouraged her to consider accounting.
The subject proved to be a perfect fit for Owen’s analytical mindset and interest in problem-solving.
“I like working with numbers and figuring out how all the pieces fit together,” she said. “With auditing, there’s that investigative side where you’re trying to understand what’s happening. I’ve always been very analytical, so accounting really fits the way I think.”
Borchers recognized Owen’s potential right away.
“Sydney has always been a phenomenal student,” she said. “She stood out among her peers from the very first Principles of Accounting class she took with me, and I had the opportunity to teach her in several additional courses. Throughout that time, she consistently demonstrated the intelligence, work ethic and positive attitude that make her such a strong student.”
Borchers believes Owen possesses all the skills needed to succeed in the profession.
“Accounting requires more than technical knowledge; it also takes critical thinking, attention to detail, integrity and the ability to work well with others,” she said. “Sydney has the foundation and personal qualities to excel in all of these areas.”
Experience That Counts
Owen took advantage of UNK’s strong employer partnerships to gain valuable experience outside the classroom.
She completed accounting internships or job-shadowing experiences with Susan Tonniges, CPA in Kearney; AMGL CPAs and Advisors in Grand Island; KSO CPAs in Kearney; and Eide Bailly in Omaha. She also worked on financial analysis projects with Lexington Regional Health Center.
Those opportunities exposed her to different workplaces and various aspects of the accounting profession.
“Internships are really valuable because you get to see what accounting actually looks like in the real world,” Owen said. “You’re applying what you’ve learned, figuring out what kind of work you enjoy and seeing whether a company is a good fit for you.”
Owen earned her bachelor’s degree in May 2025, graduating summa cum laude, then decided to continue her education at UNK by pursuing a Master of Business Administration. The MBA program allows her to expand her business knowledge, work toward the credit hours needed for CPA licensure and explore a potential future in teaching.
That last possibility has become especially relevant this semester.
As a graduate assistant in the Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, Owen is teaching two sections of Principles of Accounting II while the department awaits the arrival of a new faculty member in January. It’s a chance to experience a different side of higher education, one her mother knows well.
“I’ve always thought teaching might be something I’d enjoy down the road,” Owen said. “This has been a good opportunity to see what it’s actually like.”
Owen will complete her MBA in December. She’s also studying for the CPA exams and considering her next career move, whether that’s public accounting or a position with a private company.
Borchers is confident she’ll find success wherever her career takes her.
“Sydney has impressed me since the very beginning, and I have no doubt that her intelligence, strong work ethic and personable nature will serve her well as she continues to grow professionally,” she said. “I’m excited to see what the future holds for her.”
Owen shares that excitement, even as she prepares to leave a campus that’s been part of her life since childhood.
“It’s crazy to think about how much time I’ve spent here,” she said. “I’ve gained so much experience, met so many great people and had opportunities that have really opened doors for my future. I’m just grateful for the time I’ve been able to spend at UNK.”
