Dianna Shallenburger
As an education major at the University of Missouri-Columbia, I decided
to take some accounting classes during my junior year. Both sides of my
family had large farm operations and my father’s family owned an
automobile agency. I believed accounting would help me with these family
enterprises and in my everyday life. I found I liked accounting and did
very well in the classes. I was asked to join the accounting honors
program at MU but decided against it. I was a senior who was ready to
graduate and get on with my life with Jack, whom I married in 1963.
I graduated from MU in June of 1966 with an undergraduate degree in
education. I started teaching first grade in August 1966. I taught for
one year then took a year off to have my first child, Joe. I returned to
teaching for several years before I took another year off to have my
son, Jason.
I returned to MU after several years of teaching to complete my M.Ed.
During this time, I was also an instructor at MU and a supervisor of
student teachers at the University of Missouri Lab School. Three years
later after completing my M.Ed., the University Lab School was slated to
close. I had to make a decision: would I continue school and get a
doctoral degree in education, go back to teaching in the public schools,
or get a master’s degree in accounting?
The accounting degree won and I completed an M.Acc in 1983 from MU.
After graduation I begin teaching accounting and business courses at
Central Methodist College, now Central Methodist University. I was
lucky, able to combine my love of teaching and my interest in
accounting.
During my tenure at CMU, I have served as division chair, have served on
various committees and as chair of several of these committees, and have
taken an active role in many aspects of the CMU community. My most
important roles at CMU are teaching and advising. I enjoy working with
students. Several of my past students, as members of the Missouri
Society of CPAs, have nominated me for statewide teaching honors, and I
have received the Missouri Governors’ teaching award.
I have taught, at one time or another, all of CMU’s accounting courses
and some business courses including Business Law, Finance, Information
Systems, and Investments. I am a member, and have served as president,
of the Missouri Association of Accounting Educators. I passed the CPA
exam and the required ethics exam and have received my CPA
certification.
Outside of the classroom, I enjoy cooking, reading, biking, bluegrass
music, and activities around our farm. My husband and I have had several
successful small businesses and have owned rental property and have held
a Missouri Real Estate license. I have always tried to bring more than
“book knowledge” to my students. Many times I include my own successes
and mistakes in my classroom discussions.
