Some students enter the traditional MPA program with non-business backgrounds looking to make a career pivot. Let’s meet a few of our recent alums who did just that and find out where they are now.
MARA ETZ, tMPA ’16
Undergrad: Northeastern University, Criminal Justice
Current Position: Tax Senior Associate, PwC
Location: Austin, TX
What do you enjoy most about being in tax for your career?
I like the client relationships we have as tax professionals. And specific to state and local tax, I enjoy the challenge of figuring out the differences between the tax laws in each jurisdiction. It keeps things interesting.
What was your favorite class at Texas McCombs?
It’s a tie between Intro to Tax with Professor Holbrook and Mergers & Acquistions with Professor Singer.
S
YMONE GREEN, tMPA ’16
Undergrad: Columbia University, Italian Cultural Studies
Current Position: Analyst Accountant, Millennium
Location: New York City, NY
Why did you decide to earn your MPA degree?
Even though my undergrad major was Italian Cultural Studies, I was pre-med. I completed the requirements but decided that I no longer wished to attend medical school. At the same time, I was teaching myself some accounting in order to teach it to someone else. I ended up taking a liking to it so I decided to study accounting after I graduated.
What was your favorite class at Texas McCombs?
My favorite class at McCombs was Strategic Control Systems with Jim Albrecht. I enjoyed working on the case studies, and Professor Albrecht was very knowledgeable on the subject of management strategy.
SAM HENDERSON, tMPA ’19
Undergrad: Texas A&M University, Maritime Business
Current Position: Internal Auditor, ExxonMobil
Location: Houston, TX
Tell us more about your job with Exxon.
I am currently an internal auditor within ExxonMobil’s Controller group. While it’s a challenging role, I am being exposed to the entirety of ExxonMobil’s business and interact regularly with senior management. It is a great position to learn about the company and potential future roles.
What was your favorite class at Texas McCombs?
It’s hard to choose a favorite but I would rank the ITAC class pretty high. It combined previously learned theories and applied it to real world business examples.
Connect with an MPA Student Ambassador to learn more about life in the MPA program and living in Austin!
Leave a Reply