Meet accounting alum Harleigh Duplantis

Written byAshley McClure-French

小蝌蚪APP淭his university and city has become a home to me in no time, and I have no intentions of ever leaving it.小蝌蚪APP

Harleigh Duplantis accounting alumni
Harleigh Duplantis
Graduation Year
Class of 2016
Major
Accounting
Hometown
Grand Isle, La.

Where I'm From

I小蝌蚪APP檓 from Grand Isle, La., where I dreamed of coming to UL Lafayette since eighth grade.

Where I Am

I am a payroll administrator and HR generalist as well as an MBA student.

Where I'm Going

I am going to continue growing myself in order to advance in my career. 

Harleigh Duplantis always knew she would do great in accounting, but UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 program helped her discover her passion for business.

小蝌蚪APP淚 initially chose accounting because growing up, in middle school, we had those ability tests and they would give you an area you should go to school for,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淏eing so logically thinking and excelling in math, I would always get accounting as a result from those tests. 

小蝌蚪APP淏ut as I took classes, I realized that I have always had a business mind,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 like to think about the overall picture of a company versus just my view as a customer or employee.小蝌蚪APP

As Harleigh Duplantis made her way through the accounting program, she was already training for her career.

 小蝌蚪APP淚 started with Courtesy Automotive Group Inc. as a part-time receptionist in 2012 when I started my undergrad and was immediately promoted to my current full-time position upon graduation in 2016,小蝌蚪APP she says.

小蝌蚪APP淚 currently am a payroll administrator and HR generalist for Courtesy Automotive Group,小蝌蚪APP she says. 

Harleigh handles the payroll for over 200 employees as well as on-boarding paperwork and personal data from garnishments, insurance benefits, 401k submissions, paid time off, and more.

Harleigh works hard to continue growing and working her way up the company ladder.

小蝌蚪APP淢y long-term careers goals are to get as far up with a company as I can,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 hope to be a controller or CFO in the next 10 to 15 years.小蝌蚪APP

One way Harleigh is doing this is by earning her Master of Business Administration (MBA) online at UL Lafayette.

小蝌蚪APP淣ot being on our beautiful campus is upsetting but being able to work full-time while attending classes is worth it,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淎s a graduate student, you are making business connections more.小蝌蚪APP

In both her bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 and MBA program, Harleigh loves the passion her professors bring to their courses.

小蝌蚪APP淲hen you are learning from someone who enjoys what they do and know about, it is motivating and encouraging,小蝌蚪APP she says.

Harleigh小蝌蚪APP檚 entire college journey started when she was just an eighth grader visiting her brother.

小蝌蚪APP淚 fell in love with UL Lafayette the second I visited with my family,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 was only in the eighth grade at the time and still just knew. 

小蝌蚪APP淭his university and city has become a home to me in no time, and I have no intentions of ever leaving it,小蝌蚪APP she says.