Category Archives: Student Life

extracurricular activites, UT sports and other campus events, student organizations, recreation, etc.

Grace, Student Life

Goodbye and Hello

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The first week of classes has come and gone. Honestly, since I have been taking summer classes both sessions, I really did not feel the anxiety of starting classes again in the fall. The only aspect of the new semester that I still need some getting used to is not seeing some of familiar MPAs’ faces in classes anymore. Many of my classmates from the class of 2009 have graduated during the summer and moved on to conquering Corporate America, and I will miss them dearly. However, their absence reminds me that I should truly enjoy Austin while I am still here, especially while some ’09 MPAs are staying until December. We have grand (and not-so-grand, but fun regardless) plans in the making, so I am looking forward to the next few months.

The new semester also means new faces. Since I missed some of my core courses in the MPA program due to the spring internship, I am now in classes with many new traditional MPAs. It is definitely exciting to meet new people and to feel the enthusiasm of the new academic year. I am sure that it will be another successful MPA class. Hello! MPA Class of 2010, and I hope you are up for the challenge ☺

Some pictures from our end-of-summer-school Vegas trip:
Buffet dinner at Wynn

Buffet brunch at Caesar Palace

Good bye and good luck, Jie, Fiona, and Kan!

Academics, Darrin, Student Life

The Hogwarts of Our Time

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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 →

Academics, Austin, Bart, Career, Student Life

Summer School

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Last year at this time I was halfway through my first term as an MPA student at The University of Texas. It’s a little unreal to see some of the incoming MPA class in that same situation now. Next month they’ll have their first career fair. It all happens so fast and is, in my opinion, quite a fun ride. For any of them reading, good luck!

It’s even more unreal to me that in less than three weeks I’ll be done with my master’s degree in accounting, I’ll have taken (and hopefully passed) all four sections of the CPA exam (finished the last Becker video lecture just this morning!), and I’ll have just arrived with Janssen in Boston to move into the great little apartment she found for us. And when I say “little,” I mean it. We have to get rid of several pieces of furniture just to fit in there.

Taking classes during the summer is great, by the way. It’s hot and beautiful outside, and really cool inside (I’ve resorted to packing a sweater in my bag–no kidding). And somehow, despite the fast pace of the classes, summer feels more laid back than other semesters. That might also have something to do with my only taking 9 credits Summer compared with 13 and 15 during Fall and Spring. Not to mention the demands of recruiting season during Fall semester.

In other news, I’ve been asked to continue blogging after graduation to give students an idea of what the first year as an auditor is like for me. It’ll be fun to stay in touch with UT that way and to blog of my experiences in Boston. As always, feel free to leave comments with questions, thoughts, etc. I’ll update every month or two. Until next time!

Career, Grace, Student Life

Internship Lunch Series #3: Homeward Bound

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April 26/27, I am on a Continental flight to Tokyo’s Narita Airport right now. But Tokyo isn’t my final destination; in eight hours or so, I should be landing in Taipei Taoyuan International Airport. This is my treat to myself, in celebration of the successful completion of my tax internship at The Big 4 Firm in Houston. In a way, it is also a celebration for the beginning of what I hope to be a new career. Although I still have roughly six months of classes left (summer and fall semesters) when I return from Taiwan, my mind is somehow at ease knowing that now I can concentrate one hundred percent on my studies. I am not going to lie-–it is a great feeling.

Before I get too excited about the three-week vacation at my parents’ place in Taipei, I think it would be a good idea to conclude the atrophied “lunch series” I tried to maintain on this blog. My apologies, once again, for not keeping up as I had hoped on the details of my internship. When I was living the day-to-day life of a tax intern, the details of my work did not seem blog-worthy. However, now I have had a few days to reflect on what I did, I really feel fulfilled with the opportunities I had on my internship. Continue reading Internship Lunch Series #3: Homeward Bound →