Get to know Eric

Current role: audit staff 
Current industry: public accounting
Current location: Raleigh, NC
Program start date: August 2024
Graduation date: May 2025
Program format: On-campus

Life before Jenkins

Education: B.S. Accounting, NC State
Pre-program work experience: Audit internships with Forvis Mazars and EY

Why a MAC?

After deciding he wanted to pivot from a finance degree to accounting, Eric discovered the public accounting pathway as a member of NC State’s Accounting Society. “Going into public accounting appealed to me as it would allow me to learn about various companies and industries and put me in contact with people I wouldn’t be able to meet as a staff accountant at a big company. Pursuing a Master of Accounting degree made the most sense for achieving that.” 

Why Jenkins?

As someone who earned their undergraduate degree at NC State, Eric knew he wanted to stay in Raleigh and didn’t want to consider other options. “The reputation and affordability of the MAC Program made staying at NC State a no-brainer.”

What made it great

Eric valued the people he got to know through the program, as well as the professors and their desire to help him succeed academically and professionally. “I got to know friends who made the classes we took together, and the time we spent studying, enjoyable and fulfilling. I feel like I have a robust group of both friends and professors from the program that I will be able to leverage throughout my career. Additionally, the classes I took were full of real-world applications.”

“I feel like I have a robust group of both friends and professors from the program that I will be able to leverage throughout my career.”

Career impact

Eric credits the MAC Program – both its content and structure – for preparing him to pass the sections of the CPA exam. Additionally, since the program encouraged student collaboration, he found a community that motivated him to be persistent in his study habits, which gave him the freedom to fully engage in his new role at EY without also having to study for his CPA exam.

Final thoughts

Eric advises individuals considering a MAC degree to fully understand the commitment that it requires. “The program is a lot of work and can be both mentally and emotionally challenging at times. It is important to keep a positive attitude and show grace to teammates who may be hard to work with. With that being said, the professors you get to learn from and the students you will learn with make the challenges worth it.”

Get in touch

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn.

Learn more

To learn more about the Jenkins MAC program, including tuition, curriculum, career opportunities and more, please submit the form below. 

This post was originally published in MAC Program.