Ohio Northern University graduate student Julya Faulkner, BSBA ’16, has used the adversity she has faced to make an impact on others. Accordingly, she recently received the Beta Alpha Psi Medal of Inspiration Award.
Beta Alpha Psi is an international honor organization for accounting, finance and information systems students. The Medal of Inspiration recognizes students who have overcome hardships to achieve a high level of success and is sponsored by the American Institute of Public Accountants (AICPA). The award includes a $5,000 stipend.
Faulkner was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer, when she was 8 years old. After many surgeries, chemotherapy and medical procedures, her cancer entered remission.
Faulkner went on to graduate with honors from River Valley High School near her hometown of Cardington, Ohio. She then earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from ONU, graduating in May, and is currently enrolled in the University’s Master of Science in Accounting program. She has already landed a job with Ernst & Young in Washington, D.C., upon graduation next spring.
“Julya is a perfect example of why the Medal of Inspiration Award was created. From a very young age, she experienced extreme hardship in her life, yet continued to persevere and achieve all of her academic goals,” states Yvonne Hinson, AICPA academic in residence. “She is truly an inspiration to her peers and anyone who hears her story.”
Faulkner’s life, as well as her outlook, has been shaped by the hardship she faced as a child.
“You beat cancer, but you still have to deal with it the rest of your life,” she explains. “It has really changed my attitude on life. I tend to be more sensitive to others and realize I do not know what they have been through. It also has made me very thankful. I never spent a night alone while I was in the hospital. A lot of people were there for my family and me when we needed it, and it is important for me to be supportive and give back to the community.”
Faulkner has put that determination and gratitude into action in ways that benefit others.
Since high school, she has invested time fundraising for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which provided Faulkner and her family with a trip to Hawaii when she was a child. “The foundation changed my life, and I want to make sure others have that opportunity,” she says.
Faulkner also is training a dog, Cammie, through ONU’s 4 Paws for Ability program, to become a service dog.
“A dog such as this can really make a difference to a child,” she says.
While an undergraduate student at ONU, Faulkner served on the executive board of her Beta Alpha Psi chapter, tutored fellow students, and worked with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program to provide free income tax prep assistance. She also was recognized with the DeBow Freed Award for Outstanding Student Leadership.
Outside of school, Faulkner runs a successful cake-decorating business, Cakes by Julya, which provides desserts for events on campus.
“While Julya’s challenges in life may be more than the average young adult, she is determined to tackle every obstacle and achieve the goals she set for herself both personally and professionally,” says Matthew Phillips, Ohio Northern University assistant professor of accounting.
If it seems Faulkner lives life as if she is making up for lost time, it is for a good reason. Much of her childhood was spent at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
“When I was first diagnosed, I basically missed my entire third-grade year. I was in the hospital for 16 straight days the first time and spent a total of 110 days in the hospital over nine months,” she says.
Facing a life-threatening illness at such a tender age left a mark on Faulkner.
“I was forced to grow up at a young age,” she says.
It also gave her an extra measure of resolve.
“I am determined to not let the things I have dealt with hold me back from what I want to accomplish,” she says. “For me, it is not about the cancer as much as it is about how I deal with it and what I have been able to overcome."
