Assurance Director, PwC
Ernest has worked in the assurance practice at PwC for over 10 years. He has worked with public and private clients in a number of industries, including energy, industrial products, media and entertainment and technology. He most recently worked in a digital role, where his primary focus was helping to develop new tools to be used across the assurance practice. What he enjoys most is working with clients and his teams to complete a common goal.
Why did you come to choose the UT Dallas Accounting Program?
I changed majors to accounting my sophomore year. At that point, I knew about the reputation UT Dallas had for academics. I knew that reputation would be upheld regardless of the major I selected. I chose accounting as a result of advice received from family members who had previous experience.
What is your best learning experience at UT Dallas?
I learned about the importance of building meaningful relationships. To this day, I have friends from school who I can call for insight and encouragement. Since graduating, I’ve even worked directly with some of them. I have professors, who I consider to be mentors, that I can still reach out to for advice. Building meaningful relationships is a key part of what I do today in my profession, and I really feel like that was a key learning point I took from UT Dallas.
What is your favorite UT Dallas memory?
My favorite UT Dallas memory was traveling to Ohio for the NCAA Elite Eight tournament. Even though we lost the second game up there, that trip was definitely a great way to finish off my college basketball experience.
What advice do you have for college students looking to succeed professionally?
You never stop learning, and change is constant. Get used to learning something new and facing new challenges every day.
More from Bachelor’s in Accounting Alumni Spotlights
Senior Manager, Weaver
Matt has been a CIA and CPA for more than ten years and has worked with multiple organizations in industries which include inventory-based businesses (such as retail and manufacturing and distribution), oil and gas production, commercial banking, and state and federal government agencies, and technology. Matt has specialized in projects including SOX compliance, internal control analysis, business process improvement, risk assessment, fraud prevention, operational analysis, and CFO advisory for private and publicly held companies.
Assurance Partner, Moss Adams
Sino graduated from UT Dallas with a bachelors and masters in Accounting. She has practiced public accounting since 2006 and serves as an Assurance Audit Partner in the Dallas office. She provides assurance services to various entities mostly in the energy and energy-related construction and manufacturing industries. Sino is heavily involved in recruiting both campus and experienced hires and spends a significant amount of time recruiting at UT Dallas.
Tax Partner, BDO, USA LLP
In her current position at BDO, Arbuthnot assists accounting clients with their tax compliance and consulting needs including tax returns, tax provision preparation and review, assistance with tax implications of mergers and acquisitions, and other tax planning matters. She joined BDO, an international assurance, tax and financial advisory services firm, after earning her undergraduate accounting degree. Her master’s degree is also in accounting. “My degrees prepared me for a career in public accounting and the necessary qualifications for the CPA exam. Furthermore, my experience at UT Dallas prepared me to have success the professional world,” she said. BDO certainly covers the world, with offices in 167 countries.
Assurance Services, EY
Remsen Jennings graduated summa cum laude with a double bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance in 2011, following that with a master’s degree in accounting in 2012. During his time at UT Dallas, Jennings was appointed as a UT System Student Advisory Council member, elected as student body vice president, served as president of the Davidson Management Honors Program and was a member of the Professional Program in Accounting.
Partner, Baker Tilly
Lauren Hayes attended UT Dallas for her bachelor's in accounting degree and for what was then known as the master's in accounting and information management degree, graduating in December 2007 and 2008, respectively.
