From Broken Hill to Nexus10: Ellysia Oldsen has a passion for all things Accounting

Being a star student in biology in the mining town of Broken Hill, Ellysia had her sights set on a career working with the human body. She initially enrolled in a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws double degree, but soon discovered that her heart was elsewhere.

However, it was after undertaking the subject Corporate Law sparked her interest in the relationship between corporate bodies, regulations and society. Wishing to further explore this, Ellysia transferred into a Bachelor of Commerce to complement her law studies.  

“I decided to do the Accounting and Corporate Finance major, as it was only an extra semester to do a double major and I would not only gain finance and business skills, but also the opportunity to work towards my professional accounting qualification after university.”

Swapping physiology lectures for Introductory Accounting, Ellysia was once again inspired by her studies. This time, her lecturers ignited her passion for balancing debits with credits and confirmed her future aspirations. It was in her second year that Ellysia decided to major in Accounting and Corporate Finance.

“Accounting and Corporate Finance are the tools of business and are so versatile, in that the skills and knowledge you gain are valuable in basically any industry.”Ellysia Oldsen

Ellysia cites the practical advantages of the Commerce qualification as the drawing factor to this degree. Specifically, the opportunity to complete a double major.

“The thing I enjoy most about studying Accounting and Corporate Finance is that you learn so many practical skills that can be applied in many areas of your life, both personally and professionally. Many of the lecturers I’ve had place a huge emphasis on how what we’re learning about is actually used in the real world.“

Moving to Adelaide to commence her tertiary studies, Ellysia embraced the opportunities that were available to her in a city location. A former state champion in swimming, Ellysia continued with her sporting commitments, training and competing in national swimming competitions with the Marion Swimming Club. In her spare time, Ellysia also got involved with extra-curricular activities on campus.

As part of her Law and Commerce degree, Ellysia has completed internships and placements with both accounting firms and legal organisations. She was also a student volunteer with the Adelaide Law School’s Lex Salus initiative and a Faculty of the Professions Peer Mentor.

The persistence, dedication and organisation had paid off. During the state-wide shutdown in May, Ellysia was named ‘Accounting Student of the Year’ by Accountants Daily, impressing the panel of 24 judges with her passion for accounting in extra-cirricular activities and career development. 

Ellysia believes that balance is vital in maintaining her commitments to her various activities. She balances her work, study and sporting commitments through rigorous time management and organisation.

Ellysia enrolled in a Law and Commerce double degree to shape her career aspirations. If you are interested in exploring possible double degree options, you can speak to one of our team members who can help you tailor your study options.