Student Spotlight - Ian Hull

Get started now for Spring classes at EvCC's East County Campus. Classes start April 8.

Tell us a little about yourself. 
My name is Ian Hull, I was born in Longmont, Colorado. I have lived in Washington for about 10 years. I have done all my schooling here. I graduated rank 9 out of 128 from Sultan High School in 2015 with a 3.95 GPA.

College keeps me very busy, but in my free time I practice photography, it’s been a great hobby that has really grown for me. I have gotten to do a lot of paid sessions as well. I worked with some seniors after summer and I even got to do a wedding and a baby’s first birthday which was a great learning experience for me. My biggest achievement so far was getting one of my pictures published in The Herald.

What did you study at Everett Community College? 
I studied accounting and business.

Why did you choose EvCC and the East County Campus? 
I originally wanted to attend EvCC so I could live at home and save some money. My parents had to move when school started so I ended up having to move out my first year of college. It worked out for me both ways; I got to grow in my adult life and attend school close to home, while saving money which is always helpful.

Who helped you succeed at EvCC? How? 
My girlfriend Athena and teachers Mark Eppley and Heidi Weiss-Green helped me a lot in school. Athena always helped to keep me organized. This was something that really helped me stay on track with my homework and what needed to be done for school on the daily basis. When I would get stressed out she’d help me ground myself and get back on track, never allowing me to lose sight of the school.

Mr. Eppley was always there for me during my accounting courses. He was one of my favorite teachers at EvCC. Not only is he very knowledgeable about accounting and business, he is pretty funny. He was always there to answer my course specific questions and even more theoretical stuff that wasn’t really related to class work, like random business stuff for example.

Mrs. Weiss-Green helped me succeed by making class fun. I took my Calculus courses with her and we all know that math can get pretty hard. My favorite memory about Heidi was when she gave us extra credit for a coloring assignment and let us take the night off from homework. She always did fun things like that to keep our stress levels down in class.

What are you doing now?
I live in Bellingham now and I am attending Western Washington University as an accounting major and hopefully a statistics minor. I have really grown in my photography hobby since I first got my camera; I do a few photoshoots every few week or two. It helps with managing stress for me, it’s a hobby that I really enjoy and gets my mind off school when it’s time to relax. Athena and I have been trying to get out around the community and be more involved in school. We have been researching a few clubs and committees we want to join and are looking for ways to explore the big area we live in. Bellingham is a beautiful place to live.

How did EvCC prepare you for university and your career?
I was able to learn the material, which is a foundational step for my career and university level classes. EvCC also has a job listing website for students that allows you to filter and apply for jobs around the area. I liked this because I was able to find accounting specific jobs during school and I got my first internship through the website. I did a tax accounting internship during the tax season of my second year at Bauer Evans CPA firm in Everett.

Would you recommend the EvCC East County Campus to others who are deciding where to attend college? Why or why not?
I do recommend it. You have a chance to take a lot of your classes with the same faculty with small class sizes, free parking, and a small campus. Being close to your teachers is important in my opinion. Having the ability to freely ask questions, for help, or any other needs can really make you do well in a class. I like having the same teachers because I didn’t have to adjust to a new teaching style or course layout. It makes going to class a lot more comfortable. One great thing to is you don’t have to worry about walking much around campus which is nice during the cold winter times. 

Describe the best experience you had at EvCC. 
The best experience I had at EvCC was being inducted in Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. It felt great to be accepted into a society that honors hard working achievements for college kids like me. The ceremony was very formal and I brought my family which meant a lot to me. My parents have been really involved in my education, always helping me do my best to succeed.

What advice do you have for students like you? 
Utilize all your resources and keep up with your studies. If you must pay for an education why not do the best you can do? There are a lot of ways to get personal help and tuition if school gets hard for you. Also, work on ways to manage stress and keep up with the general flow of school. I found it easiest to plan my school week and do a little bit of homework every day. Find a system that works for you to get the job done. 

Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Live the college experience, go out, have fun, meet people, live in the now, and don’t forget to do your homework. Also pay attention to deadlines: Scholarships, FAFSA, transfer colleges, and internships all have deadlines when things need to be submitted, and you don’t want to miss those. 

Update, February 2019: Ian plans to finish his accounting concentration at Western Washington University this year and stay for a fifth year to complete a finance concentration, while preparing to take the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exam. He'll earn a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance.