Mikey Hamilton
Graduation year: 2025
High school: St. Patrick High School
Hometown: Elmwood Park, Ill.
Majors: Accounting, business administration–finance
Activities: Varsity basketball, Admissions ambassador, Phi Omega Phi fraternity, Student Investment Fund
Internships: Audit internship at ORBA in Chicago; tax consulting internship at Deloitte in Chicago
Post-grad plans: I will be joining Deloitte Tax in Chicago with the Global Investment and Innovation Incentives team.
Why Augustana?
I chose Augustana because of the ability to form personal relationships with peers and faculty. I have attended smaller schools throughout my entire life and found that Augie was the perfect fit to allow me to thrive as a student, an athlete and a person.
Are you where you thought you'd be when you first came to campus?
I am well above where I thought I would be. I had no specific long-term goal in mind, but I knew I wanted to do something business-related after college. Through the courses I took and the experiences I gained during my four years at Augie, I am now able to begin my professional career at the largest accounting firm in the world, where I will be working with the largest businesses in the world to expand their operations.
Who helped you get to where you are now?
In the academic world, Dr. John Delaney had the biggest impact on my career search, helping me understand the importance of starting as an accountant in the business world and connecting me with professionals at Deloitte.
In my work experience, Beth Melton allowed me to hold a leadership role in the admissions office and provided guidance to performing my role to the best of my ability.
In my athletic career, the coaching staff of Augustana men's basketball showed me how to persevere through the successes and failures that I will face in life and the importance of working as a team rather than as an individual.
Overall, my family, the Augustana community and God all played important roles in guiding me on the path to where I am now.
Peak experience?
My peak experience has to be traveling to Greece with the men's basketball team — with the help of Augie Choice through CORE — to build on my academic experience and play basketball in a different country against national competition.
In Greece, we explored an important part of history, played against multiple national Greek teams, enjoyed Greek cuisine and held basketball clinics for kids in local communities.
What surprised you?
How easy it was to get involved on campus. Whether it was joining a club, signing up to work in admissions, joining Greek life or going to office hours, it was easy to meet someone new and form connections with other students and faculty members. This is how I met my closest friends, who I will have for the rest of my life.
What will you miss the most?
I will miss walking through the Augie "A" Quad the most. Every time I walk through the Quad, I fall in love with campus again. It reminds me of why I chose to make Augustana my home and the endless opportunities it has offered me thus far. The Quad will always be a pivotal part of my college experience.
Advice for the Class of 2029?
Have a long-term goal in mind of what you think you want to do, but enjoy every step of the journey. The journey will help you to understand where you can make the biggest impact in a career you enjoy doing.
"Mike has certainly gotten the most from his time at Augustana. The grit, determination and toughness he showed on the basketball court these past four years also translated to success in the classroom and at multiple accounting internships. Mike is one of our 'go to' students for recruiting future accounting majors as he is a great representative of our program. I have no doubt he will pass the CPA exam in short order and go on to a terrific career at Deloitte."