“Not everyone can say they’re like me,” says Alexis Hackett ’26—who has Black, Native American, and Japanese heritage. For her, Black History Month is a time to recognize the beauty in difference. / Photo by Francis Tatem
In Their Own Words: Alexis Hackett is Encompassing Complexity—at Deloitte, at Saint Mary's, and in Her Own Identity
A Cultural Event Coordinator at the Intercultural Center, she’s helping the SMC community “celebrate the multiple shades of us.” And as an Accounting major with a multiyear internship at Deloitte, Hackett hopes to use her skills to address poverty.
In Their Own Words is a series in which we introduce you to the Gaels you need to meet—students, alums, faculty, and staff—and let them tell their stories, in their own words.
Meet Alexis Hacket ’26: an Accounting major, the President of the (J POP), and a Cultural Event Coordinator at the Intercultural Center. In the summer of 2023, Hackett was accepted into a competitive, multiyear internship at Deloitte, the largest of the world’s Big Four accounting firms. After graduation, she hopes to continue on to a full-time role at Deloitte and eventually start her own accounting firm.
The road to Saint Mary’s
While I was in high school, my mom started working in payroll at Saint Mary’s. She really encouraged me to apply here, and at first, I thought, I don’t want to go to school where my mom works! I was set on going to school in Santa Barbara. But she kept telling me to apply to SMC, so I did.
I ended up getting a substantial scholarship from Saint Mary’s, which I didn’t get from the Santa Barbara school. And when I toured SMC, I was impressed by how lively the campus was, seeing all these fun activities and events. Where other campuses were mellow and very quiet, there was always something going on at Saint Mary’s. It felt very welcoming. That drew me in.
Adding it up
My interest in money started really young. I have four older brothers and was obsessed with collecting their extra coins. If they weren’t home, I’d go into their bedrooms, find coins, count them, keep them and save up. I never liked spending willy-nilly. It’s the reason why, at age five, I was able to buy an iPod for three hundred dollars, with my own money!
So the accounting mindset started early on. I always enjoyed math, all through school. I even loved pre-calculus! That’s why my uncle, who is a successful accountant, and my mother with her financial background, pushed me to give it a try as a major.
They were right; I really enjoy it. And the Accounting department at Saint Mary’s has been amazing. The classes are engaging and the professors really care about us as people. One reason I feel like Saint Mary’s is such a good fit is that I want to make a difference in people’s lives. Ultimately, I see accounting as a tool that can help address poverty and underserved communities. At some point, I’d love to start my own accounting firm to do just that.
An unexpected internship
As a first-year student in the School of Economics and Business Administration, I was part of a First Year Advising Cohort where we learned the basics: campus resources, how to use Excel, things like that. We also created LinkedIn profiles, which came in handy. One day, the Executive Director of the Career Center, Mary Beth Stadt, reached out to me. She said, “Hey, there’s someone who wants to get to know you. A recruiter from Deloitte saw your LinkedIn profile.”&Բ;
Now, I’d never heard of Deloitte. But my mom had. She was like, Apply right now! So I connected with the recruiter. She said I seemed like a good candidate for Deloitte’s . The program, she explained, gives early college students an overview of all the different aspects of financial services. That sounded perfect, so I applied, and got an interview—two of them, back to back.
ǿմý a month later, I saw a call from a random number. When I picked up, it was Deloitte. “You got it,” they told me. I had to put the phone on mute, scream out loud in my dorm room, and then unmute and say—very professionally—“Oh my gosh, thank you so much.”&Բ;
"One reason I feel like Saint Mary’s is such a good fit is that I want to make a difference in people’s lives. Ultimately, I see accounting as a tool that can help address poverty and underserved communities."
Stepping stones to success
That first summer was intimidating, for sure. By then, I realized this wasn’t some small accounting firm; this was the biggest professional service firm in the world! Still, the culture was incredibly positive. To start, they flew all the interns to Deloitte University, a facility in Westlake, Texas, where they host training courses and events. We attended seminars on leadership and teamwork skills. It was the first time I’d flown by myself, ever. And now, here I was, in Texas, living and learning with a bunch of accounting majors like me.
The Discovery internship definitely lived up to its name. So I returned in the summer of 2024 as a Discovery II Intern. I will be back at Deloitte again this summer as an Audit and Assurance intern. Then, if all goes well and I get my CPA, I should be on track for a job offer.
It’s a bit daunting to be on this path so early! But it’s definitely exciting.
Home away from home
The Intercultural Center has always been a comfort spot for me at SMC. As someone with Black, Native American, and Japanese heritage, I was looking for ways to explore all aspects of my identity. So I joined the (BSU), the (NAISA), and J POP.
Now I work as a Cultural Event Coordinator at IC, planning events for the community—like "Exploring Us": A Conversation on Blackness,” on February 26. I’m also President of J POP and part of the leadership teams of BSU and NAISA. All of that started, though, because I was looking for spaces where I could be myself.
That’s what the Intercultural Center offers. For 20 years, it has given students a sense of freedom, a sense of comfort, and a sense of being just acknowledged. If it weren’t here, many voices wouldn't be heard. It’s a place where we can see ourselves, express ourselves, and be recognized. That’s what draws a lot of students to the IC, including myself.
What Black History Month means to her
For me, this month is complex in the best way, because I am complex. Growing up multiracial, I felt like I never quite fit in anybody’s box. It took me a while to realize that I can be Native American, Asian, and Black—and that’s okay. It’s a good thing, actually, because it shows that the world is changing and evolving.
So I see Black History Month, specifically, as a time to celebrate the multiple shades of us. Being different is powerful. There is beauty in being Black, just as there's beauty in being Native and being Japanese.
It’s been a journey, but I can now encompass all parts of myself, which I love. And I have my parents to thank for that. Not everyone can say they're like me.
(This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.)
