Q:What skills are you building that you will use in your future career?

A:Our program is very focused on building the specific skills needed to both pass the CPA exam and succeed in public accounting. While much of this knowledge is developed in the classroom, the program has done a wonderful job of supplementing courses with workshops and networking opportunities to make sure that we will be able to build skills on a personal and professional level.

Q:What did you do in your corporate residency? What were your responsibilities? How did your experiences prepare you to work in a top accounting firm?

A:I worked as a winter assurance corporate resident for the commercial audit department at Ernst & Young (EY.) My responsibilities were similar to what a staff 1 would be assigned during a year-end audit, while individual projects varied depending on what I was assigned by the manager and senior manager. I was fortunate enough to be asked to return to the team when I finish school in the fall!

Q:What has been your most valuable experience so far?

A:The most valuable experience for me was the corporate residency. It enabled me to build the self-confidence necessary to excel at work and also gave me the opportunity to develop strong relationships within the company that will help me begin my full-time career on the right foot.

Q:How has D'Amore-McKim helped you to become more?

A:The MS in Accounting/MBA program has been life-changing. Prior to beginning the program at D'Amore-McKim, I was in another graduate program that wasn't offering me the advanced course work I needed nor the career support necessary to make a transition from working in nonprofits to working in public accounting. With this previous experience to compare it to, the dual degree program at D'Amore-McKim has been a great fit.

Q:Why did you choose D'Amore-McKim?

A:I was looking for a program that would help me make a major career change and challenge me academically. After spending three years in a part-time MBA program that was not getting me there, I was looking for something efficient, challenging, and effective. The MS in Accounting/MBA had me sold in a heartbeat!

Q:Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

A:Hopefully still working in public accounting! I would love to be a manager in 5 years, and a senior manager on my way to partner in 10!