Online MAC Student Finds New Opportunities

The drive and dedication Preethi Ram Mohan has shown toward advancing her education has proved to be worthwhile throughout her experience in the Jenkins Master of Accounting (MAC) online program. After teaching in the Wake County Public School System for a few years, she enrolled in the MAC program in the fall of 2020.

Ram Mohan’s experience in India ignited an interest in accounting. She knew she wanted to pursue a career in the field but her future led her to the software industry. Once she married and moved to the United States, she had the opportunity to take a course at Wake Tech with Professor Chuck Bunn.

“It was illuminating,” says Ram Mohan. “Professor Bunn is an alumnus of NC State and he showed me the amazing world of auditing. This pretty much set me on the path to NC State.”

She felt NC State’s curriculum was geared toward a career after graduation, which stood out among the other programs she considered.

“I was also impressed by how the curriculum introduced me to a lot of the tools I see being used in big accounting firms, including tools like Tableau and Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing (SAP),” she says.

Once she enrolled in the program, Ram Mohan saw her outlook start to change as she learned more about her future career in accounting. During one of the first sessions, she was introduced to the book “Juggling Elephants” which she says led her to where she is now.

“I will be very frank, that book changed my life,” says Ram Mohan. “I learnt a lot about how to study for an intensive MAC program along with juggling my personal life as a mother of two highly energetic kids dealing with virtual schooling. Beyond this, I have learnt a lot about what I would be doing in the world of audit. I feel prepared to enter the real world.”

Her experience in the program would not have been what it was without the leadership and instruction of her faculty involved with her studies. Ram Mohan shared her gratitude for Director of the Master of Accounting Program Scott Showalter and Department Head Kathy Krawczyk who both contributed to her understanding of accounting, audit and taxes.

“I would also like to thank Associate Director of Admissions Jay Arrington whose advice led me to this point,” she says. “Associate Director of Student Programs and Career Services Kelly Hardy’s career advice and guidance has led me to my dream job. I definitely will never forget the guidance I received from Online Program Coordinator Jessica Moran to ace the ASAP program.”

Ram Mohan encourages enrolling in a master’s program to achieve your dreams. She found encouragement from her peers through involvement in the MAC Focus Group where she was able to share her challenges and outcomes.

“The experiences and lessons I learnt in my education have actually helped me so much that I was fortunate enough to get into a Big 4 firm,” shares Ram Mohan. “I used a lot of the skills I learnt through my presentations and team discussions and advice from professors and other career staff to get this position I always dreamed of.”

She plans to begin her career as an associate at KPMG, Federal Practice in Washington, D.C. in January of 2022.

Are you interested in pursuing your master’s degree in accounting at a distance? Explore the online Master of Accounting program.

This post was originally published in DELTA News.