TIFFANIE
masters of accounting '21 outstanding graduate 

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WHY WEBER STATE?

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I always dreamed of being a college graduate. Right out of high school in 1998 I came to Weber State but life ended up getting in the way and I left. I tried again in 2008 and again ended up leaving. In 2018, I decided to give college one more shot. This time it was different, I could tell that everyone wanted me to succeed. The classroom was a safe space to learn and to grow. The culture of Goddard allowed me to come out of my shell and express who I am. Many of my professors reached out with suggestions on how to better prepare for my career or with opportunities to get involved. It was extremely difficult working full time and taking a full course load, but it was evident that the professors cared about us and wanted to be a support for students. Another difference this time around was the support that I received from my boyfriend Adam.I couldn't have done it without him.   I graduated with my Bachelors during the pandemic in 2020. My friend Mandy talked me into starting our Masters early, because we were locked in our houses so she thought we should get a head start. Because of the support of professors, my family and my friends, I will graduate with my Masters in 2021. I will forever be grateful for the faculty and admin of Goddard for changing my life.  

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WHY ACCOUNTING?

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That is a tough one, I always joke as a Star Wars nerd and say that like the force, accounting has to have balance. In reality, I had several mentors over my career that were accountants and went out of their way to help me understand the financials behind company's decisions.  

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INCREDIBLE ACCESS

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Goddard School is unique in that all of the professors care about the students and they want them to succeed. I came to Weber State because of the small class sizes and reasonable tuition, I stayed because of the culture. Some of the resources I used were the advisement office, professors and the career center.   

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FACULTY IMPACT

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Dr. David Malone made me feel important and gave me a sense of belonging at Goddard. I have since had several classes with Dr. Malone and you can tell that he cares for every one of his students in class. 

Dr. Valerie Chambers asked us what we wanted to do for a career when we graduated.  I mentioned that I wanted to be a forensic accountant and she immediately responded with suggestions of things I should do in school and after school to accomplish this goal.  Further, she reached out to me even after I was no longer in her class with internship opportunities for conferences with fraud organizations.  It was incredible that she saw those opportunities and took time out of her busy schedule to reach out to me. 

Dr. Andrea Gouldman- It was clear she would do anything to help students learn the material. She helped me get a CMA scholarship during this class. 

I could go on and on and on about the amazing faculty that we have at Goddard School, but let me just add this, without the faculty that make students feel safe and valued, Goddard wouldn't be what it is today.  

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