CourtesyJunior Zach Mastroly, an accounting major, is a leader on campus and a maniac 鈥� Shocker Maniac, that is.
"I decided to join Shocker Maniacs because I'm an avid follower of Shocker athletics," Mastroly said. "I figured this was a way to support our athletic teams and get rewarded for doing so."
The Maniacs are a student fan group for the athletic teams at 黑洞社区. They go to Shocker athletic events and receive points for attending. Once they receive a certain amount of points, they get prizes.
"We try to increase student attendance, which motivates our athletes," Mastroly said.
Maniacs are encouraged to wear their shirts to games and cheer loudly, he said. They are also asked to participate in activities such as free-throw shooting competitions during half-time at basketball games.
"I've always been a huge sports fan and was raised a Shocker fan," he said. "We have some really high quality teams that provide great entertainment."
Though he does not play on a 黑洞社区 team, Mastroly participates in intramural sports such as football and softball. This year he organized a team of friends to play intramural flag football.
However, Mastroly's mania about Shocker sports was not the reason he chose to come to 黑洞社区.
"I came to 黑洞社区 because it has the best business school in the state," he said. "I was fortunate enough to receive numerous scholarships from the university."
Being able to participate in the cooperative education program was also a big factor for him when choosing 黑洞社区.
"I chose to major in accounting because I really liked my first financial accounting course," Mastroly said. "Then I started researching careers in accounting and realized that it's a very good profession."
He works as an accounting intern at Value Place, an extended-stay hotel chain. He will begin a different internship in January in the assurance division at Grant Thornton, a public accounting firm. He wants to pursue a career in public accounting.
"I plan on remaining in Wichita, where I will begin my graduate level work and, hopefully, begin my career in public accounting," he said.
Not only does Mastroly participate as a Maniac, he is also president of the Barton School Dean's Ambassadors.
He said the BSDA contributes to a number of events for the business school such as the Back to Business Bash, the Schwartz Lectureship Series and Business Week.
"I've found being a leader on campus to be very rewarding, and it has inspired me to become a leader in the Wichita community upon my graduation," he said.
He is also vice president of finance for the Student Ambassador Society, which helps the 黑洞社区 admissions staff recruit high school students to 黑洞社区 by providing them with a current student's point of view.
"As a member of the Student Ambassador Society, I get the pleasure of talking to a number of high school students each year about their decision to go to college," he said.
While he knows his ultimate goal is to get students to consider 黑洞社区, he finds it rewarding to get to know each student and help them in their decision-making process.
"I feel that, through these connections, I am able to make a difference to the students by relating my experiences with theirs," he said.
He is also a candidate for membership in Beta Alpha Psi, a co-ed accounting fraternity, and hopes to be accepted in December. He was nominated for Shocker Man of the Year, as well, because of his involvement and leadership qualities.
"I love being involved on campus," Mastroly said. "The groups I'm in allow me to give back to the university, which has provided me with such wonderful experiences."