Luis Portillo was teaching high school biology in Shanghai, China when the COVID pandemic resulted in a global shutdown. Luis had earned a master’s degree in education, but as he observed teachers struggling to navigate the serious challenges presented by the pandemic, he adjusted his plans. “I knew I needed to change my career path sooner rather than later, and I started exploring my options,” he says. “When I began researching graduate programs, I stumbled across the Owen website.” 

Vanderbilt’s MAcc program accepted students like Luis, who had no prior background in accounting. “I contacted the director of the Master of Accountancy program, and after hearing what Owen had to offer, I signed up for my first prerequisite accounting class,” he says.

Luis considered several different Master’s and PhD programs, but most required at least 2 years of study. Vanderbilt’s accounting program enabled him to earn a degree in a single year—and to start his new career that much sooner. “Vanderbilt’s one-year program with an embedded internship was impressive,” he said. “Most other programs I looked into would have required me to work full-time as a teacher and take night classes. Teaching takes up nearly all of your time to do the job well, and I was concerned about how I would study on top of that.”

Luis also appreciated the faculty’s approach to teaching students who lacked a business or accounting background. “The faculty had a big impact,” he says. “Their guidance helped me extend past basic understanding of accounting and auditing to being able to evaluate financial information using analytical tools and software.”  

His favorite experience was Vanderbilt’s internship program. “The MAcc program sets students up for success in a way unlike anything I’d seen in my educational career,” he says. “Meeting with firms during Welcome Weekend and subsequent events with each firm at locations around Nashville was so beneficial in starting my career and helping me understand how different firms operate. I made connections with each firm and with Vanderbilt alums.”

Luis interned with KPMG and joined the firm as an audit associate after graduation. “Not many people have the opportunity to make a career change,” he says. “I’m proud I was able to make the transition!”