Tax season is an extremely busy time of the year for Kent State University alumnus Mark Lloyd, who works as a tax manager at RSM US LLP tax, advisory and consulting firm in downtown Cleveland.
Lloyd prepared for his career in accounting by earning a Bachelor of Business Administration with a double major in accounting and finance from Kent State’s Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship in 2018. He went on to earn a master’s degree in accounting with a concentration in taxation from Kent State the following year. Through Kent State, Lloyd was able to link up with RSM US LLP as an intern.
Lloyd applauds Kent State’s faculty for caring about students and getting to know them as individuals. He credits the instructors for providing the education and opportunities that paved the way for success in his accounting career.
And that is not all. Kent State’s program facilitated networking between students and employers and offered financial support for students who wanted to pursue a graduate degree.
“They were invested in making sure that you were set up for success and finding a job/career after graduation,” Lloyd said. “There were a lot of events and meet-and-greets that showed the career options out there and the university did a tremendous job connecting students with recruiters and firms in the area
Master’s Program Enhanced His Knowledge
Lloyd learned about the Kent State master’s program in accounting while taking his undergraduate courses. This training further prepared him for his career in accounting.
“Every single day in class for about two months, they would say we still have spots open,” Lloyd recalls. “It was free school. We covered a lot of the material that was in the CPA [Certified Public Accounting] exam, so I really feel it was a program that was a jumpstart for my CPA. The graduate assistant position offered by Kent State for the master’s program also made obtaining higher education much more affordable and allowed me to pursue the higher degree I had always wanted.”
Accounting Department Has Distinguished Credentials
Kent State students in the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship are earning the gold standard in education because the college is among less than 1% of business schools worldwide to receive dual accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business [AACSB], in both business and accounting. Only 180 institutions worldwide hold an additional specialized AACSB Accreditation. “We have a high-quality faculty,” according to Wei Li, Ph.D., chair of Kent State’s Accounting Department and associate professor. “We also have a Ph.D. program in accounting that distinguishes us from surrounding universities.”
Kent State accounting majors have excellent employment prospects. These accounting graduates will help stem a shortage of accountants in the U.S. in recent years.
A Kent Native
Lloyd was born and raised in Kent. He stumbled upon accounting as a career in high school and fell in love with it after taking an introductory accounting elective. Lloyd lived with his parents throughout college and found commuting to Kent to be the perfect fit for him.
“Honestly, I wouldn't have traded it for anything,” Lloyd said. “I met my wife at Kent State. I really enjoyed my time at Kent State.”
Paying it Forward
A year ago, Lloyd joined Ambassador Crawford’s Young Alumni Advisory Board. He was interested in sharing his knowledge and skills with accounting students at Kent State. The group has a few networking events every year and he is excited about the prospect of planning more networking events as they move forward.
If Lloyd has one thing to pass on to up-and-coming students interested in accounting, he will say Kent State is the place for them.
“I don't think there's a better time to come to Kent State,” he said. “That new business building is absolutely amazing. It's the same great staff that were there before. There is the same energy of wanting to get you into the profession and wanting to set you up for success.”