Preston Koslakiewicz’s call to service
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Learning what it takes to be a leader is rooted in Preston Koslakiewicz’s personal life mission. What does it mean to give back is a question that he asked himself as he decided on his major in personal financial planning.
“I have always had a heart for helping others and wanted my career to be centered around that idea. I felt that financial planning was my calling,” says Koslakiewicz, a senior from Macomb, Michigan. “I learned that I could use my passion for finance to help others achieve their financial goals. To succeed in financial planning, you must be centered on always putting your client’s best interests first, and because of that, I knew this major was designed for me.”
Koslakiewicz's leadership skills have not gone unnoticed at Western. As a student leader, he was given the opportunity to host the Presidential Leadership Series. He was able to collaborate with WMU Trustee Lynn Chen-Zhang to host an event at the Zhang Legacy Collections Center. The event focused on how to become a strong leader in business and the need for diversity in leadership.
“This event is a highlight of mine due to the speeches both President Edward Montgomery and WMU Trustee Lynn Chen-Zhang gave on what characteristics separate a leader from others,” he reflects. “I still hold on to the advice leaders gave during the program. I’m extremely thankful I was selected to represent fellow students at that event.”
Transferring his leadership qualities to his internship at Zhang Financial, Koslakiewicz is striving to get the most out of his experiences. He asks questions and dives beyond the surface of his industry to learn everything he can about financial planning.
“My internship has provided me with tremendous knowledge on the process of financial planning and sparked my passion even more! The best part was learning new topics in class, then going into Zhang Financial and applying my new knowledge to understand a variety of situations,” he says.
While in his internship, Koslakiewicz found a valuable mentor in Charles Zhang, the founder and CEO of Zhang Financial, who has contributed to his growth as a leader, as a financial planner and as a person.
“Mr. Zhang has been there to answer my career questions and has always encouraged me to push myself to accomplish my next goal. He has shown me that in life anything is possible when passion and hard work are the foundation,” Koslakiewicz says. “I have been honored to watch his exceptional attention to detail in all that he does and have looked up to him as an example of what I strive to be.”
After graduating, Koslakiewicz plans on obtaining the Certified Financial Planner designation to give himself a competitive edge in the financial industry.
“The most important lesson I have learned as a business student is that making connections is the key to our development. I would not have been granted my opportunities if I sat back and only focused on school. A student must get involved with clubs and reach out to local businesses. You never know what connection will lead to an open door—it only takes one,” he says.
With all the experiences he has accumulated while at Western, Koslakiewicz has learned what it takes to give back to his community and be the leader his future industry needs.
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