MAcc Speaker Series Reflection

Over the past two Fridays, our MAcc program welcomed two wonderful guest speakers, Maria Esway and Jim Celia, who shared their career experiences and valuable life lessons with us.

Maria Esway is an experienced COO and transformation executive who has held leadership roles at J.P. Morgan, Nordstrom.com, and Victoria’s Secret Direct. She is also a competitive rower and coach!

Maria shared her insights on leadership through her experience in rowing and explained why leadership skills will become even more important in the future. One thing that stood out to me was how rowing requires everyone to work together, train hard, and move in the same direction. Even the coxswain, who guides and motivates the crew, needs to know how to encourage teammates with the right words at the right time. I think this lesson is very applicable to our future careers in accounting. Whether we work in audit, tax, or consulting, we will always need to collaborate with others, support our teammates, and work toward a shared goal.

Jim Celia is an Assistant Dean at Rowan College of South Jersey, with a background in accounting, economics, finance, and education. He is also an Ohio State alumnus and holds an inactive CPA license. Jim shared his personal career journey, from graduation to working at a Big Four firm, returning to school for further education, and eventually finding his path in higher education. His story really resonated with me, especially because I have recently been feeling a little overwhelmed by planning too far ahead.

Listening to Jim reminded me that life doesn't always have to follow a perfect plan, and that's okay. There will always be uncertainties, unexpected opportunities, and new directions to explore. Sometimes, when we feel lost, the best thing we can do is take a break, reflect, and have an honest conversation with ourselves about what we truly want.

My biggest takeaway is that it's never too late to pursue the life we want. What we may regret more is spending too much time and energy staying somewhere we know isn't right for us.

A big thank you to Maria and Jim for sharing their stories and reminding us that professional growth is not just about building technical skills, but also about learning how to lead, reflect, and make meaningful choices!