Jaymi Stoneburner, a 2014 graduate of Ball State University, was pleasantly surprised when she investigated pursuing a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) at IU South Bend’s Judd Leighton School of Business and Economics. “I knew IU South Bend had a MSA program,” she explained, “but I didn’t realize how accommodating and strong the program was until I met with Professor P.N. Sakensa.”
After meeting with Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Chair and Professor of Accounting P.N. Saksena, Jaymi never considered another program. In addition to assuring her that she could complete her degree in a year, so she could sit for the Certified Public Accounting exam the following summer, Professor Saksena encouraged her to apply for a Leighton Fellowship because she had a strong undergraduate transcript and GMAT score. “The Leighton Fellowship made a huge difference,” Jaymi said. “I’m paying off my debt from my undergraduate degree, so it’s wonderful not to add more debt for my master’s degree.”
A bit anxious about fast-tracking the MSA program, Jaymi found she was quickly comfortable with the pace. “Going into it I thought it would be very hard,” she explained. “Even though we meet just once a week the quality is still there,” explained Jaymi. “The professors are very helpful when we meet in class, and they make sure that we understand and learn the content.” In addition, each course is eight weeks long, rather than 16 weeks, so students can complete twice as many courses in a 16-week semester.
As she completes her second internship at RSM US LLP, formerly McGladery LLP, Jaymi will also complete her MSA and prepare to sit for the Certified Public Accounting exam in the summer. Through her internships, she discovered she prefers the tax side of accounting. In October 2016, Jaymi will begin full-time employment as a tax accountant at RSM US, LLP.
In addition to feeling confident about her own accomplishments in the program, Jaymi readily endorses the MSA program at the Leighton School to others. “I recently recommended the Leighton School MSA to a friend,” she said. “The quality of the program is strong, and the professors are very knowledgeable.”