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Over the past 4 years, I competed as a Division I soccer player at Cleveland State University while I pursued my undergraduate degree. I balanced long weeks of training, games, and travel along with a full course load. Every day was structured and filled with tasks I needed to complete in order to succeed on and off the field. 

Before beginning the Specialized Master in Finance (SMF) program at Ohio State, I remember feeling both excited and uncertain. I knew graduate school would move quickly, but I wasn’t sure exactly what I could do to prepare. Looking back, I realized that building confidence in the fundamentals of finance benefit me the most.  

I came into my MBA program with a clear intention: to grow from being technically strong in accounting and finance into someone who can think more broadly about strategy, value creation, and long-term business impact. I wanted transformation not just in what I know, but in how I make decisions. The first semester provided a shared foundation across core disciplines and gradually trained me to see everyday problems through a business lens.

The MBA program is full of a variety of courses, and each offering unique perspective of business. Some of the courses are elective, meaning one has the option to pick and choose those courses, and while others are core courses designed to build a strong foundation. One of the core courses in the second semester of the Full-Time MBA program is Strategy Formulation and Implementation.

When I first started the MAcc program at The Ohio State University, I was unsure of several things. From career outcomes and course rigor to connecting with new people, I wasn’t sure what to fully expect.  Coming from a finance undergraduate background and transitioning into accounting, many questions surfaced early on. Would I need to complete an accounting internship before pursuing full-time roles? What would the recruiting process and timeline look like? And would I be able to balance all of this with my course workload?

I started my spring semester with a resolve to embrace the holistic graduate experience. I wanted to step outside my routine, expose myself to new experiences, and actively participate in the social and cultural events on campus. 

Before the MAcc Program When I started my undergraduate journey at Ohio State, I knew I wanted to be an accounting major. However, the biggest question wasn’t what I wanted to do, but how I would get there, specifically, how to reach the 150 credit hours required for the CPA exam.

One of the most talked-about aspects of an MBA program is case competitions. Most of these competitions are optional, requiring students to take the initiative to register and form teams. However, we had a mandatory case competition to close out the semester. While it was not graded, it offered prizes and the opportunity to represent our college at the national level, an incentive strong enough on its own.