Chevy Halvorson

“I actually wanted to be an actor!” Chevy Halvorson says with a laugh. “I took four years off in between going from high school to university, and in those four years, I was like, ‘What do I do?’”

Not wanting to move to Toronto or Vancouver to pursue acting, however, Chevy considered his other options. His mom suggested he start a degree and see where it takes him. “So, I started my Bachelor of Commerce, took a couple intro classes, and I found myself in intro accounting. It was just something that suited me really well,” he says. “And I liked the class, so I thought I might as well continue on and pursue it!”

And he’s done more than just pursue it—Chevy has volunteered for tax clinics, has tutored fellow students, is a member of MacEwan’s accounting club, and is a CPA Campus Ambassador.

Becoming a CPA Campus Ambassador “is probably one of the best things I ever did,”

Chevy says. “It gave me the tools to really push myself to do stuff I had never done before. I used to be quite a shy person, and I’m not so much anymore.”

Chevy now confidently presents in high school and college classes, networks, hosts and attends events, and more. Chevy hopes his work as a CPA Campus Ambassador creates a welcoming and inclusive culture for his fellow future CPAs. “I’m doing it so students have some support at the schools, where they can talk to somebody on campus,” he says.

In addition to his hard work, Chevy owes a lot of his growth to, oddly enough, failure. “Don’t be afraid to fail. Because you’re going to fail a lot,” he advises his fellow future CPAs. “If you do fail, tomorrow’s still going to come.”

Q&A with Chevy

What piece of advice or feedback has been most meaningful or impactful for you?

The most meaningful piece of advice I have ever received is to not be afraid to fail. When I was younger, I was constantly scared to fail and make mistakes; I was worried my mistakes would reflect poorly on me. It took me a long time to realize that the only way I would learn and grow was to push myself out of my comfort zone, try new things, and ultimately fail at them. There is no better teacher than experience, and there is no such thing as a perfect person. I encourage everyone to try a new experience and have the courage to fail at it.

Is there anything that might surprise people about you?

Before entering university, I originally planned on becoming an actor! I was in two plays when I was younger: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Fiddler on the Roof. I even contacted Vancouver Film School to see If I would be a good fit for their Acting for Film and Television program!

Is there anyone you’d like to thank for their help or inspiration?

I want to thank my closest family and friends: Leadell Halvorson, Devyn Halvorson, Gabriel Simard, and Samuel Pitre. You have all inspired me to be the best version of myself every single day, and I am so proud to call you my family and friends. There is absolutely no way that I would be who I am today if it weren’t for you four. Thank You!

Capitalize and CPA Alberta are proud to introduce the 2025 class of Capitalize Campus Stars. The Campus Stars program recognizes amazing Alberta post-secondary students who are dreaming of one day becoming CPAs. Learn more about the whole 2025 class!