Accountant Lands 'Pretty Cool' Job

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Posted on June 7, 2021

Thomas Becnel

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#MyFirstJob is a series focused on University of South Alabama graduates who are beginning their careers.

Katelyn Cowie knows exactly when things changed, her life came into focus, and she chose a career at South.

鈥淚 took Accounting 211 with Professor Ellen Madden,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen she was going over credits and debits, everything clicked, and it all flowed together. I was instantly hooked.鈥�

Cowie, who grew up near Birmingham, found a home in the Mitchell College of Business. She was named outstanding student in her major and won the Frank R. Urbancic Scholarship in Accounting.

During her junior year, she looked for an internship in her hometown. There was Horton, Lee, Burnett, Peacock, Cleveland and Grainger. The company didn鈥檛 really have a summer program for students, but she sent a letter, anyway.

鈥淚 reached out to them,鈥� Cowie said. 鈥淭hey thought that was interesting.鈥�

Cowie interned that summer and did well. She continued working remotely for the firm after returning to Mobile, then was hired full-time. In June, she began going to the company office, which was less quiet and more social.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a shocker 鈥� accountants aren鈥檛 supposed to be funny 鈥� but the people at my firm are hilarious,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to like being back in a work environment.鈥�

For the last year, Cowie has been doing audit tests of companies throughout Alabama. This will continue to be one of her main responsibilities. The analytical part of the job suits her.

鈥淚t鈥檚 basically investigation work,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking at different forms and matching up what we have in the audit with the books. If there鈥檚 a difference, I need to figure out why. I鈥檓 the kind of person, I like being able to figure things out and understand the information.鈥�

Numbers Run in the Family

Cowie鈥檚 family is from Warrior, a small city just north of Birmingham. She knows of at least one certified public accountant.

鈥淢y grandmother was actually a CPA a long time ago,鈥� she said, laughing. 鈥淪o it runs in the family.鈥�

Cowie was never tall 鈥� she stands 5-foot-3 鈥� but she always had fast feet.

鈥淚鈥檓 like a bunny when I鈥檓 running,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 started running in the seventh grade, and I started competing in high school.鈥� 

At South, she walked on to the cross country team. Her best distance was the 1,500 meters. Her best time was 5 minutes, 26 seconds.

Her fianc茅 also ran for the Jaguar cross country team. He鈥檚 from Birmingham, too.

Cowie kept busy during her time at South. She joined the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. She worked as a tutor in the Center for Academic Excellence. She belonged to several service clubs and honor societies.

鈥淚 like doing everything,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n college, I figured I might as well try everything I could. It鈥檚 really hard for me not to like something.鈥�

Staying home during the coronavirus pandemic meant there were few distractions. She could concentrate on her studies and remote work.

鈥淚 lived by myself for the last year, so it was pretty isolating,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 got a lot more done.鈥�

Homeward Bound

With a job already lined up in Birmingham, Cowie didn鈥檛 have to worry about searching for employment. She could relax for a bit. After graduation, she and her mother made a senior road trip.

鈥淲e started off in Covington, Georgia, because I really like 鈥楾he Vampire Diaries,鈥� and that鈥檚 where it was filmed,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hen we went to Savannah for a couple of days, and Beaufort and a couple of towns in North and South Carolina.鈥�

Now she鈥檚 back in Warrior. She pronounces it 鈥淲oyer.鈥� It feels right.

鈥淚 kind of like being home,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 got a master bedroom at my grandparents鈥� house.鈥�

Cowie still runs for fun. She enjoys shopping for both running shoes and high heels.

Later this year, she will begin studying for her CPA exams. It鈥檚 the next step in an accounting career. She鈥檚 following in grandma鈥檚 footsteps.

At the Birmingham firm, Cowie is one of five young accountants working with older members.

She spends weeks or even months working on a single audit. She enjoys the feeling of completing an assignment. Then she moves on to the next.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 pretty cool,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 like it a lot.鈥�

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