CWU helped personal finance graduate build a strong foundation

Haley Droppelman did her homework before choosing CWU four years ago. The recent College of Business graduate toured every other public university campus in the state, and there was just something about Central that called to her.

“There were a lot of little details that led to my decision to come to CWU, but most of all, I liked the size of the campus and how clean it was,” she said. “Everyone was smiling and it just felt so inviting.”

It didn’t hurt that Droppelman’s older sister, Nicole (’21), also attended CWU. In many ways, she knew what she was getting herself into.

“My sister had a great experience, and I knew I would, too,” she added.

Even though most of Droppelman’s classes were held online during the fall of 2020 — the infamous “COVID year” — she quickly developed an interest in financial planning. Her first accounting class with Professor Ryan Cahalan eventually led her to pursue dual degrees in personal financial planning and business administration, specializing in finance.

“I connected with Ryan right off the bat,” said Droppelman, who grew up in Bellevue. “I took a couple more classes with him and he encouraged me to go the financial planning route. So, I decided to sit in on a class with another business professor, Steele Campbell, and I enrolled in his class the very next quarter.”

It wasn’t long before Droppelman became involved with the Financial Planning Student Association (FPSA). The president at the time asked her to run for a leadership position, and she went on to serve as the organization’s president during her last two years on campus.

Getting involved in FPSA proved to be a major turning point in her college career.

“We help put students in front of people in the industry, and that has led to most of our members landing jobs before we even graduate,” Droppelman said. “We facilitate professional interactions with companies across the state and teach our members how to become comfortable being uncomfortable. We learn that it’s all about putting yourself out there.”

Taking her own advice, Droppelman reached out to financial planning firm Brighton Jones in early 2023 about hosting an internship presentation for FPSA. That eventually turned into an internship opportunity in the summer of 2023, which became a full-time job offer after she completed the program.

Later this summer, she will begin working as a financial planning analyst at Brighton Jones’ headquarters in downtown Seattle.

“Doing that internship was really eye-opening,” Droppelman said. “I learned that Brighton Jones is much more than a financial planning company for affluent people. They are also really involved in the community, and they want to help Seattle grow. Their goal is to do a lot of good in the community, and I’m really proud to be a part of it.”

In her new position, Droppelman will work alongside an associate analyst and an account manager, serving as the first point of contact for Brighton Jones clients. In between preparing net worth statements and investment documents for clients, she will also participate in regular community service work around the Seattle area.

“Philanthropy is one of the company’s main goals, and they encourage their employees to get involved by paying for volunteer time,” she said. “It’s exciting to know I am going to be involved in a company that cares so much about giving back.”

Droppelman already knows what it’s like to maintain a busy calendar from her time at CWU. Aside from being active with FPSA, she also worked at the CWU Recreation Center for three years and participated in the Women in Business club and Beta Alpha Psi honor society.

Her involvement in the international organization for accounting, finance, and information systems students provided her with an immensely valuable personal and professional outlet.

“I just love building community with other students,” Droppelman said. “It’s exciting to talk to other people about their futures and find out what they are working toward. We’re a small group, but we’re all interconnected, and we all want each other to succeed.”

Droppelman also expressed her gratitude to the College of Business faculty — specifically, Cahalan and Campbell — for believing in her and laying a foundation for her to be successful.

“Steele and Ryan were instrumental in giving me the confidence I needed to keep taking on more and more,” she said. “They encouraged me to shoot for the stars, and I will be forever grateful to them.”

Over the past three years, Droppelman has built dozens of lasting relationships in the CWU community. As it turned out, Ellensburg proved to be the ideal place for her to prepare for her career in finance.

“I love this town and love this school — it’s just been amazing,” she said. “I feel very lucky for the relationships I have built here. CWU has pushed me to be the best version of myself, and I hope I can give back someday as a mentor, whenever that day comes.”