Lucy Veis didn't arrive at the MAcc program planning to specialize. But she left with her Master of Accounting with a double specialization in audit and data analytics, and a lot more confidence than she started with.
Pursuing a master's felt like a natural way to keep challenging herself. Lucy liked pushing her understanding of the profession further, and the MAcc gave her another year to build that knowledge and feel ready before starting her career.
The classes in audit and data analytics hooked her quickly. The specializations built on what she had already seen in the field through her internships, so the work ahead of her felt familiar rather than intimidating.
The CPA exam felt just as approachable, thanks to the people around her.
“Between classes and after school, it felt like everyone was doing Becker, talking about the exams, and sharing tips and advice with each other,” she explained.
Coursework that connected directly to what she was studying helped, too.
"During the MAcc program, I took and passed three of the four sections of the CPA exam, which is something I'm really proud of,” she reflected.
Ask her what changed most over the year, though, and she points to growth. Lucy watched her classmates, and herself, become more confident presenting, answering questions, speaking up in class, and contributing to group projects. The program pushed everyone outside their comfort zones, and the difference between the first day and the last was, in her words, night and day. She also picked up sharper communication skills and a stronger sense of maturity along the way.
What she'll remember most is the relationships. Lucy knew almost no one going in, but a demanding program and shared challenges brought her cohort together. They learned from each other as much as from their classes, through questions, study sessions, and plenty of help along the way.
This fall, Lucy joins KPMG in San Francisco as an audit associate, ready to start her career with a full year of deeper knowledge, real-world perspective, and lasting friendships behind her.
—Megan Jessup-Varnum, Lundquist College Communications