Jada Davis
Jada Davis
Class: Junior
Internship: Launch Intern at EY
Topics of Interest: iMPA, Accounting
Houston native, Jada Davis is a junior at UT and Canfield BHP. She is currently in her 3rd year as an iMPA student pursuing her master’s degree in accounting. Jada is a member of the Black Business Student Association and a member of the Master in Professional Accounting Council. Her motivations for becoming part of UT and Canfield BHP centered on Jada’s passion for business, math, and working with numbers. Ultimately, her interactions with upperclassmen at Discover Canfield BHP helped her make the final decision to be part of our program.
Jada’s passion for business and numbers doesn’t end there. Her interest in mentoring and helping her peers along their academic journey developed during her time as a camp counselor at the annual McCombs DYNAMC program. The week-long program features world-renowned faculty and keynote speakers, networking opportunities, a case competition, and much more. It’s made possible thanks to the support provided by fellow partners at EY, formerly known as Ernst and Young. The acronym stands for ‘Discover Yourself iN Accounting Majors and Careers’ and helps introduce students to the opportunities offered with a degree in accounting. Jada recalls when she participated in the program as a high school student.
“I was a part of the program when I was in high school, and I enjoyed being able to return and give back to those students. I remember how much of an impact it had on me in deciding what I wanted to do after I graduated from high school. I gained more exposure to all of the possibilities available.”
Jada and DYNAMC Camp Counselors
As a camp counselor, Jada enjoyed advising high school students and answering questions about her first-year college experience as she assisted them with their projects. Her advice to high school students prepping for college is to get used to reading informational texts more.
“When I first got to UT, there was much more reading than I was used to. Even after taking AP and dual credit classes in high school, there was more material that had to be absorbed in a shorter amount of time. Another huge piece of advice is to go to office hours. Every semester, I encourage my friends to go because professors really want to help you succeed and understand the material. Being able to learn the material and see it more than once, in different ways, makes a huge difference.”
Through DYNAMC, Jada cultivated several key relationships as she networked with EY representatives during her time as a camp counselor. Overtime, Jada continued to work on those relationships she made and was eventually presented with internship opportunities with EY. Jada credits the resume building and networking skills she developed at McCombs and Canfield BHP for her early success.
“The classes like BA101H that we took early on had an impact on how I viewed myself professionally, helped me provide recruiters with what they were looking for, and enabled me to add my personal touch on things. There are so many opportunities here at McCombs. The advisors and career coaches at Canfield BHP are super invested in you and have played an influential role in my success.”
As Jada pursues her Masters in Professional Accounting through the McCombs iMPA program, she is preparing herself for an auditing track as her career of choice while maintaining a steady list of internships to develop experience along the way.
Jada and fellow EY Interns
“Fortunately, this summer I’ll be interning with Phillips 66 to get a taste of what internal accounting roles look like. I’m hoping my experience gives me a little more clarity on how to move forward as far as my career decision so that I’ll be able to decide what I want to do once I get my master’s degree.”
Her advice to current Canfield BHP students, and those following an iMPA path, is to stay focused and learn good study habits early in your college career.
“Once you find what works for you early on, things will get much smoother. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help from your peers, academic advisors, professors, or even staff. Canfield BHP does a great job focusing on each student. The way we get to interact with our advisors and professors is awesome. All the resources they’re able to provide to students shows that they care.”