Carlye Yanker, finance and accounting major at the University of Kansas, claims to live her life in a two-mileradius: her home, the library and the Kansas Student Union. This St. Louis senior has a huge job; she manages $24 million in student fees.
After entering KU, Yanker immediately became involved on campus. Yanker joined Kappa Delta sorority and shortly after, found herself getting involved in the Center for Community Outreach (CCO). Her involvement in CCO led to her first large leadership role as the Mentors in the Lives of Kids (MILK) Coordinator. The following summer, Yanker found herself in Paderno Del Grappa studying abroad having “the best summer of her life”. When she returned to the states, a call went out for the new Student Senate Assistant Treasurer, Yanker snatched up the opportunity to jump on board. As the Assistant Treasurer for the student body, she learned the ins and outs of the allocation process for student groups who request funding. When her year as Assistant Treasurer was up, Yanker became the Student Body Treasurer taking on quite a bit more responsibility.
Along with the treasurer title came the commitment to sit on 12 committees for each fee she controls including: The Athletic Advisory Committee; Memorial Corporation; Legal Services and The Student Health Advisory Board. While managing boards, committees, training her assistant and participating in Kappa Delta, Yanker finds time to enjoy her favorite part of Lawrence: Sundays on Mass. Street. She doesn’t have much free time, but she loves shopping and relaxing on Sundays with brunch at Tellers or Milton’s. She also admits to procrastinating on Pinterest and Twitter.
Yanker also oversees Mortar Board, a senior honor society, as president at our university. I asked her what her favorite part of her leadership role at KU is and she admitted to Mortar Board holding a special place in her heart. “I really love Mortar Board…I have more flexibility with what I want to do and it’s a lot more relaxed [than Student Senate].” Yanker also told me something I think we all can agree with; when I asked her for her favorite part of KU in general, she responded with a bit of a giggle, “I really love Lawrence. I know that sounds odd… Lawrence has a special feeling about it. It’s just like home, as cheesy as that sounds. You know?”
So what’s in the future for this bright, money-managing senior? After her graduation in May, Yanker hopes to take her degree and experience all the way to Wall Street. Watch out, New York!