Graduating senior Jake Stone ’24 was selected as this year’s speaker for the Farmer School of Business commencement ceremony. Jake is an Accountancy and Marketing major with a minor in Real Estate.
Growing up in Granville, Ohio, Jake always knew that he wanted to attend Miami. “My mom [Jenny Stone ’87] attended Miami and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy, my sister [Abby] graduated from Miami in 2019, my brother [Nate ’23] is graduating this year with a Master’s degree in Accountancy, my grandma graduated from here, and my aunt graduated from here… so it’s safe to say that Miami is a huge family school!” Jake also became familiar with the campus through the various sports meets he participated in that took him to Miami’s athletic facilities, something he still enjoys as he plays intramural sports.
It may seem that Accountancy runs in the family, but Jake wasn’t necessarily set on pursuing it when he first arrived on campus. “When I got to campus, I was confused on what major(s) fit my skillset the best and would set me up for the most success post-grad,” he shared. What convinced him was his mom’s advice that accountancy is the foundation of business and would help him develop the skills necessary to be successful in multiple fields and in different industries.
Jake has put these skills to use, with internships in the finance, accounting, and marketing fields. “In the summer after my freshman year, I had the opportunity to intern at a mortgage lending service called Equity Resources as an underwriting intern. During this internship, I truly learned the importance of diligence when dealing with financials. Since I was tasked with approving and rejecting loan applications from our customers, I needed to be sure to be precise in my examination of their files and accurate in my calculations. In the summer after my sophomore year, I completed a controllership internship at Nationwide Insurance where I learned key communication skills that helped me be successful in a team environment. I was placed on the Financial Reporting Controls (FRC) team with five other members who were in constant communication about the monitoring of certain controls within the company.”
His last internship was at Abercrombie & Fitch in Columbus, Ohio, where he will be returning to serve as an Assistant Merchant after graduation. “As an intern last summer, I learned so much about the fashion retail industry and am super excited to be returning as a full-time associate. As an Accountancy and Marketing double major, I am looking forward to using the versatile skillset I’ve developed over the last four years here at Miami to bring in a unique perspective to the company.”
Jake embodies the best things you could ask for in a student and a leader – he is curious, has an incredible work ethic, and exhibits a high degree of integrity. On top of that, he is incredibly kind.
Michele Frank, Accountancy Professor
Message for graduates: During my graduation speech, I want to emphasize the importance of building high-quality relationships and pursuing your passions. As a student at Miami, I have really reaped the benefits of such high-quality relationships with my student peers and faculty members, and want to share how impactful those relationships have been and will be later in my life.
Favorite campus activities: My favorite campus activities include spending time with my friends, playing intramural sports, running along the trail at Peffer Park, and attending Miami baseball games.
Most impactful: Without a doubt, the faculty members here at Miami have impacted me the most during my academic career. I have to give a shoutout to some of my Accounting professors like Jan Eighme, Anne Farrell, and Michele Frank for keeping me interested in the major, but I would also like to thank Jan Taylor who pushed me to add a second major in Marketing and expand my skillset during my time here at Miami.
