Victoria Snyder could see the writing on the wall. With a journalism degree in hand and the newspaper industry in decline, Snyder knew it might be time for a change. That’s when she discovered accounting and realized the skills she learned as a journalist would come in handy in a career that’s a world away from the one she left.
“I really thought accounting would dovetail nicely with the skills I’d learned in journalism school—attention to details and meeting deadlines,” said Snyder, who is married and the mother of a young son. “The idea that in accounting there are rules that apply to what you’re doing really appealed to me. Plus, I really wanted a career that would be challenging, and I could learn new things.”
Snyder, who moved from California to Indiana in 2008, admits she “knew very little” about accounting when she enrolled in the Master of Science in Accounting program at Kelley Indianapolis. Her husband is a graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, and through his endorsement, as well as the rankings of Kelley programs in U.S. News and World Report, Snyder decided to enroll.
“My first accounting class was great—engaging lectures and coursework that really made me believe I could do this,” Snyder said. “I’ve been really amazed at the passion Kelley professors have for their topics; you can really tell how intelligent and informed they are. It makes me excited about doing tax returns!”
After completing a tax season internship with Blue & Co., Snyder began a full-time job as a staff accountant with Katz, Sapper & Miller. She also is studying for the CPA exam.
“The MSA coursework aligns well with the CPA exam,” said Snyder. “I do feel like the program has given me a lot of tools to succeed.”
