Madeline is a JD candidate at the Pritzker School of Law at Northwestern University, set to graduate in 2025. She graduated from the Kelley School of Business in 2019, majoring in Accounting and co-majoring in Digital Technology Management and Law, Ethics & Decision-Making.
Why did you choose to major in accounting?
I chose accounting because I wanted to study something that touches all aspects of business. I felt that the best way to be valuable was by understanding the financial motivations and implications behind decisions.
Was there a course/project/group/interaction, etc. at Kelley that has been particularly helpful to you in your career?
I value my entire experience at Kelley. From ICORE and accounting courses to office hours, each aspect contributed to a unique and well-rounded education. For my future career as a technology consultant at KPMG, the Accounting Information Systems course was especially valuable. In my role, I helped design, implement, and control IT environments to comply with SOX, applying business processes and internal control frameworks daily.
What was your favorite part of being an accounting student at Kelley?
My favorite part of being an accounting student was the professors. I genuinely think the accounting department is special in that regard. While I couldn’t possibly name all the professors who made a positive impact on my experience, having people like Professor Rego, Professor Cook, and Professor Shepardson made my time at Kelley interesting, interactive, holistic, and, honestly, just plain fun. For example, the day after graduation, I had just moved home and was already studying for my first CPA exam (Audit). When I checked my email, I saw that Professor Shepardson had sent me a photo of my name going across the screen at graduation. She wanted to make sure I had the picture in case I missed it. It’s moments like this that stay with you throughout your career
Drawing on your career experiences, what advice would you give to future Kelley Accounting students?
I would tell future students that accountants are everywhere. Like me, accountants are in consulting, marketing, finance, human resources, and more. I’m now in law school, and I’m not the only accountant or CPA in my class, nor at the firm where I’ll start after graduation. My point is, accounting is valuable no matter what you choose to do; the skills transfer across careers. The knowledge and skills you gain at Kelley and in the Accounting program truly set you up for success in roles across a company because the program is holistic.
What was your favorite accounting class at Kelley?
This one is hard. As I mentioned, Accounting Information Systems was invaluable and incredibly useful in my career. However, while taking classes, I distinctly remember really enjoying Intermediate Accounting I & II. I know that sounds unusual to most people, but Financial Accounting came naturally to me. The way financial statements flow and impact various accounts just brings it all together. Plus, there’s something really satisfying (and maybe a little nerdy) about creating a balanced financial statement.
Learn more about Madeline on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelineneu/
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