Coming to NHCC straight from high school, Josh Betterman didn’t quite know what he wanted to do with his life. “I wasn’t looking to spend a lot of money on a college education, until I knew where I wanted to go with it.” But for Josh, having a two-year college like North Hennepin, only 30 minutes away was really nice.
Being a general studies student, at first, he didn’t know much about NHCC’s Business program. Josh was taking English classes, Art classes, things that filled the goal requirements for a general degree. One day, he decided to come over to NHCC’s Business side, just to see what it was like. Intro to Business with Brady Prenzlow was the first Business class Josh took. “That class sparked my attention towards Business. Mr. Prenzlow was really good at explaining things simply, but also making you work hard for it. His class was a turning point for me.” Brady Prenzlow quickly became Josh’s favorite teacher. “He’s very nice and he knows literally everything about Business.”
With a favorite teacher and a newfound interest for Business, Josh continued to dive into the program. During that time also, Josh got a unique, first-hand look at the world of accounting. “One of my adult leaders from church offered to bring me into his work, because he thought I might like accounting. After the job shadow, I realized I definitely did have an interest in it. I shifted from general studies to accounting.” And he loves it! “I like the fact that I can always change where I want to go, but the business/accounting zone is where things are heading.”
This fall, Josh will graduate from NHCC. After graduation, he’d like to transfer to Metro State, or try to break into the accounting industry. “I’m looking to find an accounting internship. You really need that firsthand experience before people can decide if they want to hire you.” When asked what his thoughts are on continuing his education, Josh said, ‘I’m much more for having less student loan debt. So, if I can avoid that, then I’ll probably go towards trying to find a job with my two-year degree first.’
While reflecting on his time as an NHCC Business student, Josh shared that the dynamics of the program are his favorite thing about it. “If you do the Business program online, or you do it in-person, a lot of teachers know how to function with both sides.” Josh appreciates that the content he learns online is just as helpful as it is in class. “I like online and in-person learning. My online accounting class has tools given, so all of the course information is already formatted for you. It’s really helpful because you can check your work there.”
Are you a prospective NHCC student who is considering studying Business? Josh has a message for you! “If you’re thinking of going into the Business program, do it! If you have an inkling for it, it’s always good to try something new.” The main, simple things about business are covered in the Intro classes. Josh suggests new students look into those classes first. “Take a chance and test the Business program out, you never know where you could end up!”