Brooke Schmill
bschmill@uwyo.edu
Breaking stereotypes of the accounting profession is something Janice Benson, a senior lecturer for the Accounting Department in the College of Business, hopes to accomplish.
“I have students who take my class and tell me they never knew this is what accounting actually entails,” Benson said.
A faculty member for fifteen years at the University of Wyoming, Benson has become a well-known and popular teacher. This semester she is teaching Principles II and Cost I.
Benson grew up in Haven, Kansas, which is a small farming community of 1,200 people. She received her bachelor’s in science in accounting and a MBA, from Kansas State University. Benson said she decided to major in accounting after taking the classes and realizing she enjoyed the field.
She got her first taste of teaching as a graduate teaching assistant.
“I never even thought about being a teacher, or wanting to get in front of a classroom before,” Benson said.
Additionally, Benson lived in Dallas, Texas and then Houston where she got married. Benson and her husband moved back to Kansas City where they had two sons.
After 20 years of service and being discharged from the army Benson’s husband told her, “It was my turn to find my dream job, and he would follow me,” Benson explained.
The couple and their children ended up in Laramie, Wyoming.
Penne Ainsworth, another faculty member in the College of Business, was Benson’s instructor in Kansas City. Ainsworth was Benson’s connection that introduced her to the University of Wyoming.
“I have fallen in love with Laramie,” Benson said. “ I have no intention of moving back to Kansas.”
Although Benson might be a Wyomingite, her professional sports team loyalties are dedicated to Kansas.
“Don’t worry though, my first priority is to cheer for the Cowboys,” Benson joked.
Frequently in classes she updates students on the performance of Kansas’s Wildcats, Royals and Chiefs. This is an exciting time for her since the Royals are fighting for the World Series.
However, Benson said the Kansas State Wildcats losing 0-55 the other day was painful. Growing up in a household of guys, “it has always been sports all the way,” Benson said.
Benson is an avid hiker as well and said if she’s not in the local area she likes to sneak off to Estes Park for the weekend.
Another hobby of Benon’s is quilting and is the Treasurer for the Wyoming State Quilting Guild. This gives her opportunity to go on retreats and participate in this passion with others.
“It’s truly a support group and place to socialize with others. It’s just a good time,” Benson explained.
Something Benson does well is contributing what she loves and it applies to teaching.
“After twenty years of working in the field, sharing what I know about accounting is fun,” Benson said.
Other careers of Benson’s include being a business manager at a marketing firm.
Benson encourages everyone to consider accounting as a career because it can be applied to all industries and said people need to think outside of the box from taxing and auditing.
“Everyone needs accountants. You could work at a movie studio, in Walt Disney under the castle, I have a student who went into forensic accounting, there are international opportunities, the list goes on,” Benson said.
