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Students and Alumni Stories
Our students and alumni talk about their experience in the program and how it has affected their lives.
"What I loved most about the program was the personalized attention from faculty members. They were not just teachers but mentors who were deeply invested in my success. The curriculum was also very well-rounded, offering a strong foundation in accounting principles while also incorporating the latest developments in the industry." - Mearlin Dwyer, G'24
"The MSA courses are relevant, engaging, and beneficial for your career in accounting. I began the program just as I was starting my career. The courses lined up well with what I was learning at my job, and I was immediately able to apply my new knowledge from this program. I was able to start excelling in my career because of this program. After completing my masters, I started studying for the CPA exams and already knew many of the topics in my study materials because they were covered in the program, and I was able to pass all parts of the exam in under a year." - Cassandra Houle G'17
"Dr. Stevens walked me through the different accounting programs – forensic, public, private, and tax - and helped me decide between an MBA or a specialized Master's. I chose the Master of Public Accounting because getting a focused degree was more appealing for the career I wanted in auditing. The degree was required for my corporate finance consultant role at MassMutual. The skills I gained from learning the ins and outs of a company by doing audits prepared me, even though I haven't been directly in financial reporting. Another part of my role is to make sure that we have the right accounting policies and procedures in place that can help mitigate our risks as a company as it relates to our financial reporting. My degree has always been needed and leveraged to help me be hirable and advance in my career." - Tionna Downie '15, G'17
"I chose 国产哟哟's MSA program because it demonstrated a distinct interest in helping students succeed through small classes and one-on-one attention. I also found the accelerated schedule attractive in terms of career growth and the chance for an immediate return on my educational investment. I really needed the flexibility of timing in the online courses. This allowed me to fit the rest of my life in (and sleep!) more readily. I had several classmates that really reached out and connected with me in a positive way, which I really appreciated. Even though I only met one of my professors in person, I felt like there was a clear open door policy throughout the program. No question was too small, if I was willing to ask, they were willing to answer." - SerahRose Bissell G'17
Owner, Aerialist Accounting; Co-owner, Amherst Archery Academy
"This program will definitely help with my career goals as the courses are an excellent foundation of information that I will use in my future career as a public accountant. Also, the program has been excellent in supplying us with resources and additional information regarding the field of accounting. Currently I am not working as I chose to focus on school and spending time with my boys before returning to the workforce. However, I have been offered and have accepted an offer to work for Ernst & Young (EY) as a full-time staff accountant beginning in the Fall of 2019. My professor and advisor Kara Stevens emailed our class with the opportunity to send in our resume to apply for this position with EY and am grateful she did as I would not have known about the opportunity otherwise."
-Stephanie Sameisky-Eason G'19
Staff Accountant, Ernst & Young