How Arianna Gonzales Is Strengthening Women’s Leadership at Albers

From Finding Belonging to Leading Across Washington: Arianna Gonzales at Albers

When Arianna Gonzales was applying to colleges, she knew one thing for certain: she didn’t want to get lost in the crowd. Because she came from a small high school in Hawaiʻi with just 100 students, she was drawn to the idea of a close-knit university—one where she could form real relationships with professors and feel supported as she navigated her next chapter.

Seattle University offered exactly that, along with something else she hoped to find in the Pacific Northwest: a place with a sense of familiarity and cultural connection.

But like many students, Arianna’s path wasn’t perfectly linear. She arrived at Seattle University unsure of her long-term direction, exploring majors and testing out possibilities before eventually finding her home in the Albers School of Business and Economics. With the support of professors, classmates, and student organizations, she cultivated a community that helped her grow into herself and made the campus feel like home.

Now, as a senior preparing to step into the world of accounting and audit, Arianna is paying that support forward. By mentoring new students, leading Women in Business, and building partnerships across campus to connect students who might otherwise feel isolated, she’s helping shape the kind of community she once needed herself.

Paving Her Path at the Albers School of Business & Economics

The first year of college is an adjustment for many students, especially those moving far from home. New routines and new surroundings can take time to settle into, even in a supportive environment.

Finding Belonging on Campus

For Arianna, leaving Hawaiʻi meant distance from family and from the cultural spaces that shaped her. During her first year, as she adjusted to life in Seattle and questioned her major, she was also figuring out where she fit socially.

“When I came to SeattleU, I didn’t want to participate in anything at all,” says Arianna. “I had come from high school where I was doing so many things, and I think I was just burned out.” But once her friends encouraged her to get involved in student organizations, she was glad she did.

During her first year, she found grounding through cultural organizations like Hui ‘O Nani Hawaiʻi and the United Filipino Club, performing in both Luau and Barrio. Those spaces gave her familiarity and connection during a time that felt uncertain.

“Participating in these groups was a great way to do something familiar and also make friends,” says Arianna.

Deciding on a Major

“You don’t know what you want to do at 18,” says Arianna. “You really don’t know until you get to school and you’re sitting in the classroom.”

Growing up, Arianna watched her father run a Taekwondo studio, building his own entrepreneurial path. She remembers standing near the front desk, sometimes helping collect payments, observing how relationships and operations worked together to keep the studio running. “I’ve always had a natural inclination for business, but it wasn’t part of my original plan.”

That early exposure didn’t point her to a specific major right away, but it planted the seed.

At first, inspired by her interests in fitness, she began as a kinesiology major. When it didn’t feel like the right fit, she pivoted to communications, drawn to its emphasis on people and connection. But that still wasn’t quite right.

Looking to combine her interest in business with her love of working with people, Arianna found herself drawn to the Albers School of Business and Economics, where she is now majoring in Accounting.

Initially, she worried accounting would involve siloed work, disconnected from people. But in the Albers classroom, she learned more about client-facing roles and found accounting wasn’t isolated at all. It was analytical, yes, but also deeply relational, requiring communication, trust, and collaboration.

The Class That Changed Everything

One course in particular confirmed for Arianna that she was where she belonged: BUAD 1000, a five-week introductory business course taught by Dr. Joe Barnes. “I was watching him watch everyone else present, and he would smile whenever someone would stand up there confidently,” she says, noting that Dr. Barnes was visibly invested in each student’s growth.

“I had actually wanted to transfer my first year,” she admits. “But this class affirmed my choice to stay.”

Today, Arianna serves as a teaching assistant for BUAD 1000. In this role, she works with first-time students navigating uncertainty by helping them explore majors and connect with organizations.

“It’s kind of a full-circle moment for me right now,” she says. “I’ve been able to have a good connection with them and help build their confidence.” By mentoring students who are still finding their own path, she strengthens the same culture of belonging that meant so much to her.

The Impact of Representation in Accounting

Arianna initially worried about stepping into a field she knew was historically white and male-dominated. Encouragement from faculty—and seeing professors who reflected her own identity—made the path feel possible.

Dr. Kimbro was direct about the need for more women of color in the profession. Then, in her second accounting course, Arianna had Dr. Zamora, who worked in the very field she hoped to enter. Seeing someone who shared her identity in a position she aspired to made the path feel tangible.

“You are literally doing the job that I want to do, and you look like me,” Arianna recalls thinking.

Today, Arianna works to create that same sense of visibility for others. Through Women in Business, she partners with student organizations across campus to reduce silos and build stronger connections.

Turning Campus Leadership into Statewide Impact

The support Arianna found in the classroom didn’t stay there. Over time, it transformed into a desire to create the same sense of belonging for others.

The Power of Saying Yes—and Bringing Future Business Leaders Together

When she joined the Women in Business student group, a friend encouraged her to apply to be on the Board.

She began in finance roles, serving as director of finance for Women in Business while also holding leadership responsibilities in Beta Alpha Psi. The club gave her space to gradually grow into leadership.

This year, she’s serving as the Women in Business President. As president, one of her proudest accomplishments is the annual Women in Business Leadership Panel, a collaborative event that brings together students from Washington business schools to hear from CEOs and executives in the region. Last year, the event drew more than 75 attendees.

“This event helps create opportunity beyond campus walls,” says Arianna. “It also connects students to leaders they might not otherwise meet.”

Her impact has created a ripple effect, too. After seeing Arianna promote the event, a friend from high school was inspired to start a similar student organization at another university.

Connecting Student Organizations Across Seattle University

Leadership, to Arianna, means creating access and reducing isolation. “Everyone just feels so separate right now,” she says. “I want to be part of bringing people together.”

Through Women in Business, she is actively working to bridge those gaps. She works to partner with other women-focused organizations at Seattle University, including student groups in engineering, computer science, and mathematics. Her goal is to strengthen connections not just within Albers, but across disciplines and throughout Washington.

Managing Student Teams as a Red Bull Student Marketeer

In 2024, Arianna was selected as a Red Bull Student Marketeer, a competitive campus ambassador role focused on event strategy and peer engagement. This past year, she stepped into a team lead position, managing student representatives from multiple universities throughout Washington State.

She now coordinates strategy, oversees execution, and leads communication between campuses, navigating challenges in real time while guiding peers at different institutions.

“It’s helped me see myself in a manager role in the future,” she says. “Everything was kind of falling into place, and I realized I was ready to take it on.”

Managing a distributed team strengthened her ability to resolve conflict, set clear expectations, and balance competing priorities. It also deepened her understanding of how different campus cultures operate—experience that informs both her work in Women in Business and her preparation for client-facing roles in accounting.

Gaining Global Business Experience Through Seattle University’s European Union Business Immersion

As her leadership expanded throughout Washington State, it also extended internationally.

Through Seattle University’s European Union Business Immersion, she traveled to four countries in just two weeks. Along the way, she visited global companies, including Big Four firms, and met directly with business executives.

The experience was intentionally structured to resemble a business trip rather than a traditional study abroad program. Students weren’t simply observing; they were sitting at conference tables, asking questions, and engaging in professional dialogue.

“At first, I was starstruck,” she shared. “I was thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m literally a college student, and you are the top person at this company.’”

That initial awe quickly turned into a growth opportunity. The tour required her to carry herself with confidence in rooms filled with senior leaders.

Within a small cohort of 12 students, she also learned to collaborate under pressure by challenging and uplifting one another daily. The experience strengthened her ability to listen, ask thoughtful questions, and represent both herself and Seattle University in a professional manner.

More importantly, it expanded her understanding of where she belongs. She was no longer questioning whether she belonged on campus or in her major. She was confidently taking her seat at the table, engaging in global business conversations.

Find Your Place at Albers School of Business and Economics

Arianna once arrived at Seattle University unsure of her direction. What changed her trajectory wasn’t a perfectly mapped plan; it was the people. Professors who invested in her. Classrooms that felt supportive. Spaces where she could see herself reflected.

Now, she works to be that presence for others.

Whether she’s organizing a multi-university leadership panel, mentoring a first-year student, managing a team throughout Washington, or sitting at a conference table with global executives, Arianna carries the same mindset: Build connection first.

Ready to build connections and pave your own path? Explore Albers undergraduate programs and discover where your leadership journey can begin.