Joshua Rouse, MSA/MBA'17, is taking over our Instagram account @damoremckim this week to share his experience in our MS in Accounting/MBA program. Follow along!
Q: How do you believe the program has influenced your work experience? What did you hope to gain most from studying here and why?
The program has influenced my work experience in many ways. Without fully realizing it at first, the program structure is similar to a lot of daily or weekly work assignments. With so much to learn and so many things to accomplish in such a short time, it taught me how to be diligent with time management and reinforced the importance of teamwork.
My biggest hope was to graduate feeling fully prepared to start my career in public accounting. While the corporate residency was a huge part of this step, the topics and material we learned throughout the program helped provide me with the knowledge and confidence to start what has been a great career in public accounting.
Q: What defined your D'Amore-McKim and MSA/MBA experience?
A defining moment at D'Amore-McKim was the day we found out which firm we would be working at for our corporate residency. It was so exciting and really flipped a switch for me that this was real, and everything I was hoping for was finally beginning to happen.
What accounting industry stereotype did you believe before your time in the industry? How was that proven wrong through your corporate residency or career?
Accountants often get a bad rap as people who sit in cubicles all day and crunch numbers. Yes, part of the job requires crunching numbers, but my colleagues are very social too. I don't often find myself working alone throughout the day either – I'm always scheduling meetings and working collaboratively across my firm. There are many scheduled events that usually end with us going out and having a good time afterward.
What's your favorite memory from the program?
My favorite memory is graduation day. This isn't because I was in a rush to leave the program I just wanted to finally reach the finish line. My classmates and I spent a lot of late nights going through the positives and negatives of a graduate program, and to finally see all of our hard work pay off in the end is a feeling I'll always remember.
Q: What would you say to a prospective student considering D'Amore-McKim for a business degree?
I would highly recommend D'Amore-McKim. The MSA/MBA is a grind but the experience, friends, and people that you meet make it all worth it. The program's connections to some of the biggest accounting firms in the world and the paid corporate residency make it worth it in itself, but the hands-on experience coupled with the classroom knowledge make this program an even bigger no-brainer for anyone interested in accounting.
Q: What advice would you give to students just starting the program?
1. Become close with your cohort. Even the brightest students will need help here and there. Everyone has the same schedule and the same classes, and you will spend a lot of time together. It makes the program that much better if you can establish genuine relationships with people in your class.
2. Enjoy the process. Often, new and prospective students want to get right into the internship, learn what it's like working at the firms or even begin counting down the days until graduation. While those are all very important aspects of the program, I would recommend enjoying the experience for all that it offers. Those 15 months fly by fast, so take advantage of everything the MSA/MBA program and the Boston campus have to offer while you are a student.