Find Your Community
Sam Mailoux stresses the importance of making connections, whether in school, your profession, or your everyday walk of life. Ingrained in him from his small-town roots, Sam strives to make those connections wherever he is.
Coming from Pender, Nebraska, Sam has always grown up in a close-knit community. For him, those are the types of communities where he can thrive. It was a contributing factor in his decision to come to Midland.
“Being from a small town, there is this close-knit feeling where everybody knows you, everyone in town goes to the games, the local restaurants, and you are connected by that. I feel like Midland is the same way. It is a close community, and that is why I picked Midland because I felt like I could still make those same types of connections.”
Sam came to Midland to pursue an accounting degree while continuing his basketball playing career. A senior, Sam has already accepted a full-time position at the Eide Bailly firm in Omaha.
“Growing up, I was always good with numbers, but science wasn’t really my thing, and neither was reading or writing. I knew I wanted to go into business, so I looked for a major that involves business and numbers, and I settled on accounting. I figured if I came here and experienced it for my first year, I could always change it. But I ended up sticking with it because I found I really liked accounting.”
As he nears the completion of his college career, Sam credits his professors as key figures in his trajectory in accounting. His connections with his professors, like Jon Moxness and Nick Schreck, have been important for his success.
“My professors have done a great job of getting me hands-on experience and opportunities. Through some of my classes, I had to work with actual businesses, which has made me a lot more comfortable going and talking with my partners at work. They are good at getting you connections and helping you find success because they want to get to know you and help you get where you want to go.”
Sam urges his peers to take advantage of what a small community can bring you, even if it initially seems hard. For him, it has led to strong connections and genuine investment by people around him. Those close-knit communities can play a major role in shaping who you are, so long as you let them. It is something that he is continuing to seek out in his next chapter at Eide Bailly.
“I tell this to all the freshmen who come to talk to me. Freshman year can be eye-opening because you have to balance all these college things like sports, homework, and so on. You’re always tired and sore. I honestly wanted to transfer my first semester, but I stuck through it. And once I got through that first semester, I started to figure things out more. Once you get everything figured out, you get in your routine and you find your community. It all becomes so much easier.”
Sam Mailoux is a senior accounting major from Pender, Nebraska. To share your story or nominate a friend, email social@midlandu.edu or post using #FacesofMidland.
