Michigan Ross Master of Accounting Students Share Their Experiences from the EY Symposium in Washington, D.C.

This unique opportunity offered cohort-building and transformational first-hand exploration of the intersection between public policy and business. MAcc students got to know their classmates and had a chance to explore possibilities and opportunities that come with a career in accounting that they may not have previously considered.

Throughout the 3.0 credit hour course, students met with Washington insiders at the forefront of accounting-related policy. The cohort spoke with representatives from the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Center for Audit Quality, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and various businesses. These meetings served to help MAcc students expand their understanding of the complexities surrounding policy setting. Students and representatives discussed environmental, social, and governance frameworks, forensic accounting, professional ethics, and other relevant accounting issues.

To learn more about the experience, we asked five MAcc students to share their takeaways from the 2023 EY Symposium.  

Paulo Brito

Hometown

I am originally from Brazil but immigrated to the United States a little over 10 years ago.

Undergraduate school and major

I graduated from Western Governors University with a bachelor of science in business administration with a focus on accounting.

What is your post-graduation career interest?

I recently accepted a full-time position at PricewaterhouseCoopers and will join their tax practice in 2024.

What was your favorite part of the EY Symposium experience?

Getting to meet everyone, having a great time with my classmates, and feeling a sense of belonging with peers with shared interests.

What surprised you about the trip?

The amount of information provided to us. I was not expecting it to be a full-blown "class" with so many guest speakers talking about their profession while we discussed real-life cases of tax compliance and regulations.

Did you learn anything on the trip to D.C. that has stuck with you or helped you in the classroom?

Public speaking and debating. I volunteered to talk on a lot of topics, which made me feel more confident in sharing my knowledge with others with different opinions or perspectives, and how to approach different subjects.

Did the Symposium change anything about the way you think about accounting?

Certainly! The presentations from the Big Four and the alumni panel telling us about their experiences in the job market/post-MAcc opened my eyes to how diverse accounting can be and that it is not limited to just core tax or core audit. Having a Ross education, a Ross experience, and a Ross network can open many doors along the way.

Presley Snyder

Hometown 

New Baltimore, Mich.

Undergraduate school and major 

I attended Oakland University and earned a degree in finance with a specialization in wealth management.

What is your post-graduation career interest?

I plan on going into public accounting at PwC and becoming a CPA.

What was your favorite part of the EY Symposium experience?

My favorite part of the EY Symposium was being able to become close with our class, it made coming back to Ann Arbor much more comfortable already knowing people.

What surprised you about the trip?

What surprised me the most at the Washington, D.C. trip was how many events outside the classroom we did. My favorite trip we took was to the IRS Criminal Investigators unit. It was super cool to see what the special agents of the IRS look for and do on a daily basis. It was also interesting to learn how different they are from the compliance side of the IRS.

Did you learn anything on the trip to D.C. that has stuck with you or helped you in the classroom?

Something I learned in Washington, D.C., that has stuck with me throughout the semester is how current events affect accounting and accounting policy. We learned a lot about sustainability and public policy in Washington, D.C., and since in the classroom, we have talked about sustainability and public policy in every class.

Did the Symposium change anything about the way you think about accounting?

The Symposium changed my way of thinking by showing me that accounting is in every aspect of business; without accounting, businesses can't function. I think it also showed me how important accounting is for the world.

Rachel Gunder

Hometown 

Northville, Mich.

Undergraduate school and major 

I went to the University of Michigan–Dearborn and double majored in accounting and information systems management.

What is your post-graduation career interest?

After graduation, I will work at EY in Detroit in the tax-diversified staff group. I want to work as a certified public accountant in a tax services group.

What was your favorite part of the EY Symposium experience?

My favorite part of the EY Symposium was getting to know all of my classmates in such a unique and exciting environment. Throughout the week, I met so many people from so many different places and backgrounds, and it was really nice for all of us to be immersed in our experience as a class.

What surprised you about the trip? 

I was surprised by how many different career paths exist in accounting. The visit to the IRS to learn about the Criminal Investigation Division was truly so exciting, and it was crazy to think that the agents there all come from accounting just like us.

Did you learn anything on the trip to D.C. that has stuck with you or helped you in the classroom? 

The trip to Washington, D.C., opened my eyes to just how influential public policy is on accounting practices and business in general. I learned that following the evolution of public policy is needed to obtain a full view of what an accountant's duties look like. In many of my classes this year, current events and proposed public policy have been tied into our discussions. Knowing that policy impacts so much of what we do has reminded me to stay up to date on current policy events related to the topics I learn in class.

Did the Symposium change anything about the way you think about accounting?

The Symposium changed how I think about accounting because it opened my eyes to the many paths a career in accounting can take you. There is so much more besides public accounting, and it showed me that wherever your interest is, you can find a role that fits that!

Kevin Pujirenggo Silitonga

Hometown 

Jakarta, Indonesia

Undergraduate school and major 

I attended Western Michigan University, earning a degree in accounting and business analytics.

What is your post-graduation career interest? 

Anything that will allow me to help bridge the financial sectors of the East and West or allow me to combine my passion for video games with my expertise in accounting.

What was your favorite part of the EY Symposium experience?

Watching the baseball game was probably my favorite memory. I was able to meet the people who would end up being my closest friends in the MAcc program.

What surprised you about the trip? 

I was not expecting it to be as exciting as it was. I was able to meet a lot of different people, and there were a lot of different activities planned.

Did you learn anything on the trip to D.C. that has stuck with you or helped you in the classroom? 

I think the presentation by Francine McKenna, an independent journalist who focuses on corporate fraud and accounting ethics, stuck with me the most, and I will keep that in mind for my career.

Did the Symposium change anything about the way you think about accounting?

Yes, I was able to discover the many different issues currently in the accounting industry, such as sustainability and ethics topics.

Riley Balconi

Hometown 

Novi, Mich.

Undergraduate school and major 

I attended Miami University and studied accounting and entrepreneurship.

What is your post-graduation career interest?

Tax consultant at Crowe in Nashville, Tenn.

What was your favorite part of the EY Symposium experience?

I loved getting to know the other MAcc students and the trip to IRS Criminal Investigation.

What surprised you about the trip?

I was surprised by the amount of visits and activities we did — it was great!

Did you learn anything on the trip to D.C. that has stuck with you or helped you in the classroom?

Hearing from all the guest speakers has helped me connect class topics to the professional world.

Did the Symposium change anything about the way you think about accounting?

The Symposium helped me think more about all the opportunities in accounting, the variety of career paths, and the importance of accounting in nearly every aspect of our life (or workforce).