ROBERT PIERCE

   • Leader & Times

Mary Rose has been serving as Seward County’s treasurer since early 2023, and before that, she had worked in the office for several years.

As part of her time in the treasurer’s office, in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rose chose to go back to college.

“It was a time where  you could go back and do online stuff,” she said. “I called it my new baby. While everybody was sleeping, I was up doing my homework. I’d go from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.”

Rose received her certification in bookkeeping in 2022, and as she stepped into her role as treasurer, she was still going to college in addition to other life duties.

“I was working full time, a mother full time. I was on the fair board, Cub Scouts and doing my college,” she said. “I never stopped.”

Attending Fort Hays State University online, Rose recently received her certification as a Certified Kansas County Finance Officer, something she said took much work and many college hours to accomplish.

Rose said for her, the certification adds both to the knowledge her job requires and the trust local constituents can have in her as treasurer.

“I’ve been doing accounting and numbers for so long,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed forensic accounting, auditing. I’ve always liked to find the little piece of the puzzle.”

Like many others, Rose’s career path took a turn from what she had planned to do when she was younger.

“Sometimes, accounting comes naturally to people, and sometimes, it doesn’t,” she said. “If you had asked me when I graduated from high school, I was going to be a doctor, and life happened. I didn’t do it. If you would’ve said I would be doing accounting, I would’ve said, ‘No way.’”

Since her high school days, though, Rose has been doing accounting.

“It’s like life finds you, and what you’re supposed to be doing happens,” she said.

Rose called getting her certification a great accomplishment.

“My son was so proud,” she said. “I don’t normally tell people when I get accomplishments like this. I just quietly do it, but it is a huge accomplishment. It’s great for the citizens of Seward County to know not only am I educated and knowledgeable. I’m also hands on as well. That’s important for them to know.”

Rose is naturally excited about her accomplishment.

“I don’t want to say I’m proud of myself, but it’s hard work,” she said. “Whenever you’re done with something and you’re done with that semester, you’re like I survived. I finished it. You know what the outcome is going to be because you work toward that outcome, but I got it done.”

Rose emphasized the significance of her accomplishment.

“It’s important for the people to know their treasurer has an accounting background and is moving forward in that and stays up on the regulations for that,” she said.

Rose said much of the knowledge she got during her certification had already been implemented with her prior education, but she said the certification gives her and others confirmation of that knowledge.

“I can tell you I have it,” she said. “I can tell you I have the knowledge, but if I were to show you the certificate or the degree, that’s the confirmation. It’s confirmation and letting everybody know she’s not just qualified, but here’s the confirmation that she is qualified for it.”

Rose also takes part in additional training for her job such as certification from the Kansas County Treasurers Association.

“I stay on top of the national treasurer’s association as far as the treasury part of it, and some of that certification is the certification for my position to make sure I stay up with that,” she said. “You also have the accounting part of that as well to stay up on.”

Rose said while she and other treasurers do not have to go through this additional training, she chooses to do so anyway.

“Why let my hard work go to waste?” she said. “I choose to move forward and make sure I stay educated and up to date with stuff.”