Kathy Ensor ’18: Making the Most of Her Time at JWU

As leader on the ice and in the classroom, Kathy Ensor ’18 is making the most of all that JWU Providence has to offer during her time as a student-athlete in the College of Business. Having traveled more than 1,100 miles from her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, Ensor knew early on that she was interested in majoring in Accounting. “JWU’s career focus curriculum allowed me to take classes related to my major in my first year, which solidified my choice in pursuing an Accounting degree,” she said. “JWU also gave me the opportunity to play both hockey and lacrosse at the collegiate level.” This is Ensor’s second season as captain of the JWU women’s ice hockey team.

One of Ensor’s most memorable and influential professors is Corey Smith, associate professor. “I have a lot of respect for him because he’s also a partner at a public accounting firm,” she said. “He always relates the material we’re learning in the classroom to how it applies in the industry. I had him as a professor early on in my first year, and he really emphasized the power and flexibility an accounting degree gives you.”

"He really emphasized the power and flexibility an accounting degree gives you."

Ensor is completing her undergraduate program requirements in November 2018, but as of last year, she enrolled in JWU’s accelerated MBA Accounting program. This gives current undergraduate students the ability to complete a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. “This was a huge incentive when comparing other schools,” said Ensor. “After graduating with my MBA in December 2019, I plan to study and take the CPA exam before seeking a career in public accounting.”

In addition to her participation in the student-run Accounting Association, she’s obtained a number of internships including one at Charland, Marciano & Co, CPAs, in Providence, which she will be returning to for the upcoming tax season, as well as in the accounting department at Spectrum, a division of Charter Communications, in St. Louis this past summer.

“Kathy has seized opportunities to learn and widen the scope of her knowledge by seeking several great internships,” says Elizabeth Cannata, associate professor and Ensor’s faculty advisor. “She has already secured an audit internship for next summer at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston, one of the top four accounting firms in the world.”

Known in the classroom by her professors as one of their best and brightest students, Ensor puts equally as much effort into her coursework as she does on the ice and field. She was Third-Team All-CHC her sophomore season for women’s ice hockey. That year, she was also 12th in the conference in assists. Ensor is now a two-time All-CHC Academic Team and All-GNAC Academic for ice hockey and women’s lacrosse. When asked which pillar of the Wildcat Way (character, courage, community and pride) she most connects with, her immediate response was, “Character. No matter someone’s knowledge or skill, I believe it is character that sets you apart.”

“I have no doubt that Kathy will be very successful in her career in the accounting profession, and I have been honored to serve as her faculty advisor,” says Cannata.

Ensor offers future Wildcats some advice: “It is what you make of it. Accelerating your degree, getting involved in athletics or student organizations, holding a job…it is all possible. Do what you truly want to do. College only lasts so long so make the most of it.”