SAINT MARTIN’S UNIVERSITY CREATES ENHANCED CAREER PATHS FOR STUDENTS IN THE MASTER OF ACCOUNTANCY PROGRAM Article by Nancy Krier, retrieved from ThurstonTalk
Saint Martin’s Master of Accountancy graduate Aman Lidder, second from left, joins Associate Professor Suzanne Chaille, Program Director Diana Bingaman, MAcc student Jan Francisco and Dean ChungShing Lee at the business school. Photo credit: Nancy Krier
MASTER OF ACCOUNTANCY BENEFITS WORKING ACCOUNTANTS AND ACCOUNTING UNDERGRADUATES Aman Lidder is busy putting his recent Saint Martin’s University Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree to good use. This graduate degree has already created opportunities for him in the accounting profession, in his family’s business and in the community. Completing the degree means Lidder now qualifies to take the Certified Public Account (CPA) exam, paving the way for even greater career prospects. “I am well prepared for things now,” he said of his Saint Martin’s master’s degree. “It opened doors for me.” The Master of Accountancy program is offered by the School of Business. The MAcc degree is designed both for persons who already have a bachelor’s degree and are continuing their accounting education, and for undergraduates who want to obtain a master’s degree in accounting in just one additional year through the Saint Martin’s Business 4+1 Program. “It allows seniors to get a jump start on their graduate education,” explained MAcc Program Director Diane Bingaman of the 4+1 accelerated option. In evening classes held on the Lacey campus, the MAcc program teaches professionallevel information covering complex topics in accounting, tax, audit, business and ethics. “It’s a broad set of knowledge,” said Lidder. Evening classes are taught so working professionals can fit in the class time with their busy schedules. After receiving his bachelor’s in business administration at Saint Martin’s, Lidder obtained his MAcc in May 2023. He is already applying his graduate degree knowledge as a staff accountant at a tax and accounting firm in Thurston County. He is also employing what he learned in the MAcc program to help his family’s restaurant, the Curry House in Lacey. His skills are also serving the community in his role as treasurer for a board forming a new Sikh temple as a nonprofit corporation.
