Stephen is a proud graduate of the online Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA) from Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Since earning this degree, he has moved into a senior role with an accounting firm, where he manages other analysts and production workflow. But before advancing professionally, Stephen had to succeed academically—something he believes he was able to do thanks to the program from Illinois and its delivery in partnership with Coursera.
Stephen recognizes his background is somewhat unconventional for a CPA. By the age of 22, he had already secured a finance degree and an MBA. However, his family owned a group of radio stations, and he got involved in broadcasting for about ten years. Stephen operated in various capacities and managed the stations until his family sold them, at which point he shifted his focus back to finance and business.
In the years that followed, Stephen landed a job working with an economic analyst, returned to school for a certificate in programming, and obtained a real estate broker’s license. In 2015, he was an office manager and a paralegal, and in 2016, he gained a certified fraud examiner credential. It was with this varied background that Stephen chose to continue his education once again. He wanted to grow his accounting knowledge to handle more complex business cases, which led him to pursue a Master of Science in Accountancy.
Combining a high-quality education with a seamless learning experience
Stephen heard about the iMSA from a previous employer who praised the University of Illinois for its credibility—and soon, he would discover even more about the reputation of Illinois and Gies. “The iMSA is an incredible program. I did not realize how highly it was ranked until I started the application process. I knew Illinois was an excellent school beforehand, but to learn about the program’s ranking made it the perfect choice,” he explains.
Additionally, Stephen decided the program’s structure and support through its partnerships with Coursera were a great fit for him. Upon beginning his studies, Stephen found he could manage the challenges of balancing work and school due to the online platform. He reveals, “Coursera was really tremendous because it was so well organized and coordinated with the instructors at the University of Illinois that it was a great way to learn.” Among the things Stephen enjoyed most were the videos and quizzes that he felt integrated well into the courses.
Reflecting on the many ways to impact your trajectory with the iMSA
Having graduated in 2020, Stephen has seen his hard work pay off. He shares earning the iMSA was crucial for him to pass the CPA exam and fulfill the required 2,000 hours of practice. Stephen notes that on top of building essential knowledge and confidence, he learned to adapt and find solutions. He mentions, “The courses not only teach you the skills you need, but [they] also give you the tools to find the answers regardless of the scenario you encounter at work.” With the iMSA, Stephen opened doors to jobs in forensic accounting and business valuations, significantly expanding his career path beyond traditional accounting roles.
After obtaining his iMSA and CPA, Stephen initially worked for himself before joining a valuation firm as a senior analyst. He recently moved to a mid-size CPA firm, where he serves as a VFL manager, overseeing a group of analysts in valuation, forensics, and litigation. Today, he offers future students this advice: “For someone considering the program, I would say to trust the system and apply yourself fully because the system works. The professors are there to help and are always available.” If you think you may be ready to follow Stephen’s guidance, check out the Gies iMSA and remember, you can take a nontraditional route to an accounting career.
Discover the unique advantages of the Gies College of Business iMSA program.