As a graduate of Nashville’s Fisk University, where he earned a degree in accounting, Reggie Mhoon didn’t need to be sold on choosing a graduate program in Music City. In fact, the location was one reason why he chose Vanderbilt.

Even more critical in his mind were the doors the MAcc degree could open. “I became interested in private equity,” Reggie says, “and I was trying to find the best way to pursue that as an accounting major. Through conversations with some people in the program and with the director, [the MAcc Assurance program] sounded like the best course for me.”

The MAcc program, Reggie adds, “is a terrific opportunity to get access into the Big Four firms and to get the experience you need to see the type of career you can have with an accounting degree. It has given me direct access into a field and a job position that I would not have pursued anywhere else and has made me more competitive in the marketplace.”

Reggie also found that the MAcc program offered significant career-building value beyond the academic curriculum. He chose to participate in the Leadership Development Program, available to MAcc students, and “it had a substantial impact on me,” he says. “Being able to speak to some of the representatives in an informal setting was enjoyable for me. I have also recently appreciated the executive coaching that they have provided, which I think will make me much more mindful about the positive impact I can have in the workplace.”

Looking back, Reggie is particularly proud of earning a graduate degree and meeting the requirements to sit for the CPA exam within a 12-month period. “This is something my father has dreamed of me doing for the past couple of years,” he says, noting that both his father and sister have earned accounting degrees as well. “[My father] said that if you’re going to do accounting, you might as well go as far as you can, which means taking the CPA exam. Thanks to Vanderbilt, I could do that.”