UWA becomes home for Mobile native
Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo: Cody Ingram
As Lila-Camille Knizley nears graduation, the accounting major from Mobile is finding it hard to say goodbye to a place that has come to feel like home. She will graduate from the University of West Alabama on May 9, earning a degree much different than her original college plans included.
In high school, Knizley envisioned a future in occupational therapy. However, she started feeling uncertain as she researched the field and the competitive nature of getting accepted into OT school. Seeking guidance, she turned to her dad’s best friend, “Uncle Scott,” who gave her simple, practical advice, “If you don’t know what to study,” he told her, “study finance.”
She did that until her first accounting class at UWA—when everything changed. “Accounting made me think in ways I never had before, and something just clicked,” Knizley says.
After switching majors, she wasted no time using her growing skill set. As a freshman, she took on the role of treasurer for Phi Mu, her sorority.
“It was a huge undertaking,” Knizley admits. “But I could apply what I learned—especially from my Personal Financial Planning course—to manage the sorority’s finances.”
Her leadership didn’t stop there. She became Phi Mu’s president in her sophomore year, serving for two years.
“Running a sorority is like running a business, and businesses can’t function without money,” she says. “Being treasurer prepared me to lead. It’s not just fun and games; it’s budgeting, logistics, and problem-solving. My accounting classes taught me that no matter what you’re doing, you need money to make it happen.”
In May 2022, having gained work experience in the President’s Office at UWA, Knizley contacted her advisor, accounting professor Sharon Stipe, about summer opportunities in her field. That conversation led her to a position as an accounting assistant in UWA’s Office of Sponsored Programs, Research, and Outreach. There, she worked alongside executive director Rodney Granec and his team on spreadsheets, travel reimbursements, office bills, and budgeting.
“I’ve spent so much time with them, they’ve become my university family,” Knizley says. “I know I can call on any of them, night or day, and they’ll always be there.”
Perhaps her favorite part of working in the Office of Sponsored Programs was her involvement in digital literacy efforts through the Connecting Minority Communities grant. Working with digital technology coordinator Hayden McDaniel, she helped community members learn how to use iPads on-site and through the program’s mobile tech facility, Skills on Wheels.
“It’s been eye-opening to see how many people have never seen or even held an iPad,” she shares. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to help others bridge the technology gap. And I feel blessed to have access to technology others are now experiencing.”
The summer before her senior year, Knizley interned with the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, traveling around South Alabama and gaining firsthand experience in financial audits.
“Once I started, I found out my supervisor, Mrs. Waters, lived just a few streets over from me back home —and we’d never met,” Knizley says. “She was sweet, patient, and a great teacher. She let me make mistakes but never made me feel bad about them. She always helped me learn and grow from them. It was an amazing experience.”
When she returned to UWA, she resumed her work with the Office of Sponsored Programs. By then, she had developed a new appreciation for how diverse and impactful a career in accounting could be.
“Most people think accounting is just crunching numbers and looking at spreadsheets,” she says. “But Mr. Rodney is using his accounting degree to impact the community. He has the biggest heart for people. I’m so grateful I’ve learned from someone like him.”
Heading into her final semester, Knizley wasn’t sure where she’d land, but she believed everything would fall into place. “I knew I’d end up exactly where I was meant to be.”
On New Year’s Day, she got a text from her mentor and fellow Phi Mu alumna, Kaley Akin. They had previously discussed the possibility of Knizley joining BMSS Advisors and CPAs, the public accounting firm where Akin worked. Knizley had jokingly said she’d only consider it if the firm opened a Mobile office.
“Her text message said they were opening a Mobile office,” Knizley recalls with a smile.
After interviewing in February and accepting a staff accountant position with the firm, she will begin her new role in September and spend the summer studying for the CPA exam.
“Walking by faith isn’t always easy,” Knizley says. “But I knew if I left my career in God’s hands, everything would fall into place. I didn’t know how—but I knew He would work it out. I couldn’t be more excited.”