Q:What skills did you build at D'Amore-McKim that you will use in your future career?
A:I developed great external and internal audit knowledge and skills, which will help in my upcoming career. The structure of the courses constantly challenged me to take my education to the next level, with hands-on group projects and real world business environments.
Q:How did the abbreviated, 7-month length of the program benefit your career progression?
A:It will allow me to have more time to complete the CPA exam before starting my job.
Q:How was your learning experience impacted by the combination of distinguished scholars and lead practitioners in their field working as professors for the program?
A:The professors that I had the privilege of learning from made sure that every student in their classroom was focused and keeping up with course work. Whenever I had a hard time with course material the professor immediately cleared up any confusion. The fast-paced program put positive pressure on students to never fall behind with class topics. Also, my student peers were all extremely bright individuals, which further challenged me to constantly be on my toes and prepared for any potential classroom discussions.
Q:In which ways, if any, is big data covered in your course work? How do you plan to leverage this knowledge in your future career?
A:Big data was covered in my external audit class and it was EXTREMELY beneficial in more ways than one. By simulating real audit situations such as running big data tests and then taking things a step further to analyze the results, I gained a far better understanding of what an auditor does on a day to day basis. I had taken previous introductory audit classes, but taking this next level class gave me thorough preparation not only for my career, but also for the CPA exam.
Q:Why did you choose D'Amore-McKim?
A:The top academic standards, small class size, material covered in the program, and the shortened length of the master's degree program were my top reasons for choosing this program.
Q:What would you say to a prospective student considering D'Amore-McKim for their business degree?
A:The fast-paced approach, course difficulty level, and high academic standards of this program brought on some of the most rigorous and challenging academic experiences I have faced. That being said, I walked away with extremely valuable, real world accounting knowledge that will directly apply to my upcoming career. This program is not simply textbook education, it forces you to take your studies to the next level.
Q:Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
A:In the next 5-10 years, I see myself living and working in Manhattan with my CPA license, either still in my public accounting job with RSM, working internally for a consumer products company (preferably in the fashion industry), or maybe even in consulting. I have always wanted to apply my business degree and specialized accounting knowledge in ways that allow for career growth and leadership in the fashion industry. I plan to work towards a leadership role in a large corporation, as I feel that my background as a college athlete has helped me to develop great leadership and interpersonal skills.