Alumni Connections  /  Everyone Has a Story
  • Companies & Organizations
  • Prospective Students
  • Current Students
  • Alumni
Home // Programs & Centers // Undergraduate Business // Our Community // Meet Our Students

Artist & Accountant

Hannah Jeffers is active in the business school but also participates in film contests, leads tours around campus, and serves as president of her sorority. How do her outside interests and creativity enhance her business coursework?

Hannah Jeffers sitting in a glass box over looking the city.
About Me

I've always had a bit of a creative side to me, which has instilled a love and appreciation of visual and performing arts. I've competed in several film contests through the Film Studies department and will be directing a music video as part of my Monroe Scholar senior research project. Though most people don't typically think of an Accounting program as all that creative, it really is amazing how often my artistic interests have a chance to enhance my business coursework.

My first two years at William & Mary were an eclectic mix of courses, at best. As I jumped from Biology to Art to Economics to Film, I worried that settling in one department meant I was giving up a future in another. Luckily, I realized that the business school could provide the foundation not only to work in many industries, but to have a real influence in them as well.

My Individual Program of Study (IPS) includes an Accounting major, with a Finance concentration and International Emphasis. It encompasses my diverse interests and provides me with a background to pursue work that imparts a global impact. Only in the business school can my day start with corporate taxation, include an engaging discussion about the health care system from a cost accounting perspective, cover the latest update about Greece's financial instability, and then conclude with a short video I edited for my Financial Reporting and Analysis class.

My IPS has taught me how to think in a variety of different ways and to have the confidence to tackle a problem I've never seen before. Plus I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to interact with amazing faculty and peers each day as mentors and friends. Seeing that caliber of dedication and service has inspired me to be a better leader in my student organizations and a more active participant in the community. With the flexibility and depth of a Mason education, I know that I have the tools to achieve my goals in any field I choose.

Hannah Jeffers posing with a lamp-post in Europe. Impact & Engagement

I'm happiest when I'm busy, and there are lots of ways to get involved at William & Mary. Outside of the Business School, I've been very involved with my sorority, Delta Gamma, and am currently serving as President.  It can be a demanding job at times, but the leadership experience is unequaled, and I love giving back to an organization that has been such an important part of my collegiate life.

I also volunteer in the admissions office as a Tribe Ambassador and Tour Guide.  It is one of the best parts of my week because I get to talk about how much I love the college for a straight hour and a half! I love the challenge of reading the personalities of my group and adapting my stories and material to fit their interests. Because I never use the same speech twice, I feel much more comfortable presenting without a script, and I can definitely see the difference in my classes.  Once you've fallen in a puddle or run into a lamp post in front of a group of 40 people, well-prepared presentations just don't seem that intimidating anymore!

Highlights

Many of my favorite memories of business school relate to the amazing faculty and administration. I can't imagine a school with more dedicated or inspiring professors. Whether I'm looking for actors for a film project, anxious for career advice, or just want to say hi, their doors are always open. Not only do they have extensive professional backgrounds and expertise in their subjects, but they can make challenging material accessible and engaging.

Hannah Jeffers was part of Professor Denise Jones' Goodman Accounting Challenge Team.

At the conclusion of Prof. James Smith's unrivaled tax competition course (simultaneously one of my favorite and most difficult courses that I've taken), we joke that we have successfully survived "tax bootcamp". Yet, it is amazing to realize how much fun we had, the knowledge we gained, and the bonds we formed with each other. When your teachers truly care about their students and have such enthusiasm for the material, the feeling is contagious. After this great experience, I enrolled in an advanced accounting course with Prof. Denise Jones, where we had the opportunity to compete in the Goodman Accounting Challenge.  Out of 34 teams, we won 2nd place!

Hannah Jeffers gained international experience while studying abroad in Spain.Next Steps

A few years ago the concept of my "future" was nebulous and terrifying, but with the support of the business school, career center, and W&M alumni, I was able to articulate what I was looking for after school and successfully navigate the recruiting process.  

I am so thrilled to be starting my career with an international consulting firm, Booz & Company, in Dallas, Texas.  I will be working in the Energy, Chemical, and Utilities sector, which I believe is a perfect next step to my IPS.  I will have the opportunity to work on a variety of challenging projects of international importance while continuing to learn from the amazing people I've met at the firm.  I feel very lucky to have such an opportunity!