Rolling through her Individual Program of Study
Rebecca Pierson graduated in 2009 with a Finance major and Accounting concentration, but that's only the beginning of the story for this well-rounded business student. She studied abroad twice, both in Florence and Sydney. She worked as a faculty research assistant. She's a champion athlete, representing Team USA at the 2009 Duathlon World Championships. And she's about to start a Master's program as part of the "Your Master Plan" program with Ernst & Young.
How would she describe her IPS? Rebecca's thoughts are below:
About me
I did not actually begin my undergraduate degree at William & Mary. I transferred to the College as a sophomore from Colby College. I graduated as a Finance major with an Accounting concentration. During my time at William & Mary, I've had the chance to study abroad twice, first in Florence through a W&M summer program and also the spring of my junior year in Sydney, Australia. During my time in Sydney, I got the chance to intern at an accounting firm in Sydney's Central Business District. In addition to my studies abroad, I have been working as a finance research assistant and got to participate on the CFA Investment Challenge team this past fall and spring.
Highlights
It's really hard to pick just one: however, I would say the foundation semester was probably the highlight of my experience in the Business School. Going into the foundation semester, I will confess that I was not looking forward to the finance course. I had heard that it was difficult. Much to my surprise, I ended up doing quite well. For the first time in my academic career, I found myself really engaged in the material I was studying.
Defining Moment
I took Principles of Accounting sophomore year with Prof. James Irving. I remember at the time coming into the class with admittedly low expectations, as Accounting does not exactly sound exciting. However, this class remains one of my favorite experiences in the business school. I still remember the Prof. Irving drawing a diagram on the board the first day of class warning many "would be" Finance majors that you can study and work in Accounting and later transition into a Finance role, but it is very hard to do the reverse.
Though I ultimately opted to be a Finance major, I did not forget his words and kept accounting as a concentration. In fact, I will be working as a public accountant next year. The accounting professors provided much mentorship to me, and for this I am truly grateful.
Future plans
After graduation, I will begin a MS in Accounting program. My degree is being fully financed by Ernst & Young's "Your Master Plan" program. In October, I will begin full time audit work.
Retaining my accounting concentration undoubtedly proved valuable in maintaining my interest in Accounting, and probably helped me to get the job. Further, my study abroad experiences afforded me the opportunity to intern abroad at an Accounting firm, which provided a great conversation piece in interviews. I feel fortunate to have chosen my Finance major, however, as the knowledge I have obtained about financial markets and corporate financial management will surely prove invaluable moving forward.
