Rivera started his journey in north Texas, where he gained professional experience at a certified public accountant (CPA) firm in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Then, a fateful visit to UNH to see a close friend graduate changed everything.
“The first thing I fell in love with was the campus and the weather,” Rivera says.
At the graduation ceremony, Rivera had a chance to meet and speak with multiple Paul College professors. He noticed the professors were deeply connected to their students.
“It’s not just a job for them here; it’s more like they are pushing you because you are the next generation, and they’re putting all their knowledge into you,” Rivera says.
On his way back to Texas, Rivera called a UNH faculty member and decided that Durham was the place he was meant to be. Rivera started at UNH during the fall 2023 semester and thoroughly enjoyed all five classes.
Although his primary interest is working in tax, Rivera’s favorite class so far is Business Law, which is discussion-focused, and answers to questions are situational, making the class particularly engaging. He is also learning about recent cases and happenings in the world.
“I love that we are doing recent stuff that actually matters,” Rivera says.
Though his classes have posed challenges, Rivera believes that he has acquired a wealth of knowledge quickly, more than during his undergraduate years. Learning about the importance of networking has been especially valuable to him. He has connected not only with other MSA students and staff but also with professionals.
Rivera has also had the opportunity to observe professional skills through job fairs and UNH’s accounting recruiting panel and plans on applying this knowledge in the professional world.
Rivera says he enjoys accounting because it’s all about patterns. Once he completes his program, he aims to work as a tax associate for PWC in Boston and take the CPA exam.
