Hayley Smith ’15, MS ’18 has not yet graduated from the Master of Science in Accounting program at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. But already she has people coming to her for tax advice.
As president of the Graduate Student Accounting Association, she hosts events and organizes the volunteer income tax assistance program. Students and people from the larger community bring their tax information to the volunteers, who help prepare returns. The hands-on experience is valuable, Smith says, because it exposes students to so many types of tax scenarios. The most challenging cases, she says, come from international students who must sort through tax treaties.
Smith says she doesn’t understand why some people complain about accounting. “Every single class I take, I am shocked by how much I enjoy it because everyone says accounting is a dull topic,” she says.
Overall, she is fascinated by the breadth of specialized fields in accounting, such as taxes and auditing. By networking at Maryland Smith, she has learned about the many different opportunities available in accounting.
She completed her undergraduate studies in marketing and supply chain management at Maryland Smith, and after working as a Macy’s sales manager after graduation, she decided she wanted something “a little more specialized.”
“I’m most looking forward to gaining a technical skillset, and want to be able to put on my resume something that’s very widely sought after,” she says. “I want to develop myself as a leader in a company.”
Accounting was an attractive field to Smith for many reasons. As she networked through the school and spoke with industry insiders, she learned about all its perks. “It’s a mobile profession,” she says. “You get to travel and work with some awesome clients.”
After her positive experience as a Maryland Smith undergraduate, she says she also looked forward to working with the faculty and meeting recruiters from top companies in the Washington, D.C., region.
“I like it,” she says. “It’s real world knowledge, and it’s a really hot field.”
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About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.