“Being from Pennsylvania, I quickly found that Starkville felt like my new home as a freshman,” shares Jessica Zajac, who has accepted an Audit Associate position with KPMG in Raleigh, NC, on completion of her MPA. “I truly enjoyed my time with the Adkerson School of Accountancy during undergrad, so it was an easy choice to stay for my master’s degree. With the faculty, staff and various resources, I knew I would have the support necessary to succeed as a master’s student.”

“I chose this program because of the focus on the CPA Exam, as well as familiarity with the staff,” adds Alan Follis, who also was an MSU undergraduate student and will become a KPMG Audit Associate in Jackson, MS.

Graduate assistantships are a valuable way for our students to help fund their education while gaining experience and enhancing their professional skills. In the Adkerson School of Accountancy, these coveted positions are in demand.

“The selection process for GAs is very competitive,” states School Director Shawn Mauldin. “It’s based on GPA and an interview by a panel of faculty and staff. As a result, the best and brightest accounting students serve as GAs.”

Given the caliber of the applicants, Mauldin notes, those not selected as GAs in the School of Accountancy are often chosen for other GA positions around campus.

The work done by ASAC’s GAs varies. It may include working with faculty on research projects; tutoring; leading peer-assisted learning sessions for undergraduates in early, foundational accounting courses; administering exams; assisting with recruiting activities and orientation sessions and more.

This diligent, industrious group puts much into the Adkerson School of Accountancy because they value what they get out of it.

Says Isabella Smith, who will become a Forvis Mazars Tax Associate in Jackson, MS, next July, “I love MSU’s campus and staff, and I knew that the program could supply me with what I need to succeed in my career in accounting.”