There are many ways to learn accounting.  There are many ways to learn just about anything for that matter, but to keep it close to home, I am referring to the academic foundation of the MPA program here at McCombs.  There are classrooms, lectures, case competitions, group projects, etc. … and all of these methods teach us something new.  It wasn’t until recently though, that I have found a newfound respect for another method: guest speakers!

Now, I dare to say that most people love guest speakers because it means that class that day is going to be easy.  No quiz, no homework, no notes need to be taken…just sit back and relax, it is going to be an all-around easy day. It is these easy days that I have found to be rather enlightening along my path of accounting studies.

The ACC 152 Lyceum course is rumored to be just a late-night class that comes to be an inconvenience to peoples’ eating habits and provides little knowledge and understanding of accounting.  Nothing could be further from the truth. It is true, they don’t sit up there and ask what the debit and credit entries are, or even ask what type of consolidation method we should be using, but they do provide insight into the real world.  I have found that these professionals, some with 20, 30 and even 40 years of experience behind them, are the most brilliant minds of our day.  They speak to us on such a personal level, touching base on real-world accounting issues ranging from career possibilities all the way to a lesson on trust.

These last few weeks have been a lot of fun for me and I am so grateful that McCombs is able to attract such talent.  Our reputation not only brings in the best students, but it brings in the best professors and best speakers of the profession, and each and every one of us can learn from these brilliant people. Don’t believe me? Take one lap around the CBA 4M floor, the door-tag credentials and the mountain of published excerpts will speak for themselves. Still don’t believe me? Look at the message boards on all of the floors and you will see that Fortune 500 CEOs are at this school at least once a week.

We are all so lucky to be given this opportunity to learn from the best. Thank you, McCombs!

As I have progressed into my fifth and final year here at McCombs, I find myself wanting more from my education. Academically, the MPA program continues to be a challenge at every twist and turn of this path I am on, but I feel that this program could serve as much more. Within the B-School, we are a dominate group. We are respected, honored, and often even admired for our hard work and dedication. Collectively, we are four groups of 250± students that are all striving for one common purpose; graduation from the finest MPA program in the country. While each of is in a different part of our degree program, ranging from third-years in the integrated approach all the way up to the fifth-years and traditional, we have much more in common than one might think.

It is this link that I wish to call on to build unity. Instead of being divided by class year, let us mingle together. Instead of acting segregated because one side is Tax and the other Audit, let us cross our academic paths. Instead of being divided by Big 4 firm or mid-cap, let us join as the greater group of future professionals.

When I set out to write this, I had every intention of comparing what I have been asking for to Harry Potter. This may sound silly but it is not a stretch of the imagination to assume that the majority of us know a little bit about HP. The famous book series uses a four house system to spur competition and comaraderie, to build connections and friendships, and to provide comfort for those searching for a place to belong. I know, this sounds like exchanging one sense of segregation for another, but in its truest sense; these “houses” are only a starting point for building unity and at no point are meant for segregation.  Just like in HP, these “MPA Houses” would contain students from all of the tracks, from each of the different class years, and from each of the firms! Continue reading The Hogwarts of Our Time →