Accounting Student’s Running Start Leads to Duquesne

 “I did Community College of Allegheny County’s (CCAC) Early College Program with BNY,” said Kate. “I earned 30 credits and got a certificate in Supervision and Leadership in Business. The program covered classes and books, and it even paid me a stipend for every class I took.”
 
CCAC’s Early College Program with BNY is designed to provide a structured approach to dual enrollment that enables teenagers to take college-level classes in high school. In addition to helping Kate understand how college classes function, she appreciated the challenge and believes the added accountability prepared her to pursue an accounting major at Duquesne. 
 
“Every week you're responsible for all your assignments and when stuff is due in addition to your high school work. I also had two jobs, so it was a lot,” she said. “It can be challenging taking college courses in high school, but it can get you into the workforce earlier or allow you to take a year off to travel.”

Ambition meets opportunity

Advanced Placement (AP) classes coupled with the CCAC credits allowed Kate to enter college with 42 credits. She hopes to graduate in three years and attributes this ambitious timeline to Duquesne’s flexibility and willingness to apply her existing credits to general education classes so she could begin business core classes. She’ll also graduate with 150 semester hours of college coursework, the requirement to become licensed as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). 
 
Knowing that Duquesne valued the work she had already put in and recognizing the advantages of attending college in Pittsburgh, Kate declined admission from other competitive business schools who couldn’t offer the same. 
 
“Duquesne really worked with me to apply all of my existing credits which allowed me to start fulfilling business core classes, something other schools I considered did not offer,” she said. “Plus, Duquesne is right here in the city with all the accounting firms, so geographically it’s an advantage.”
 
Mentorship from her Student Success Coach Jasmine Jones-Reed proved invaluable. “She helped me match and transfer my coursework from CCAC and played an important role in a smooth transition and ensuring I stayed on track,” said Kate. 
 
Choosing the accounting program was an easy decision. Kate’s CCAC coursework exposed her to various areas of business, and accounting emerged as her field of interest.
 
“The accounting class I took in high school helped me understand that accounting is the backbone of all business decisions,” she said. 

Kate’s first year is starting off strong. She enjoys getting to know faculty who walk alongside her, and she finds that small class sizes allow discussion and connection with peers.  
 
“You can easily talk to your professors and go to office hours,” she said. “Those conversations help me retain everything a lot more.”

A vibrant, supportive campus… full of opportunity

These positive interactions have translated to all aspects of campus life.
 
“I’ve made great friends, found a job I love at the bookstore (where I also get to work during football and basketball games), and discovered a genuine sense of school spirit through the people I’ve met,” she said. “Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, encouraging and supportive, and that has made a meaningful impact on my experience here.”
 
Kate believes it’s never too early to network and explore the job market, so she appreciates the many opportunities available to engage with guest speakers, alumni and other accounting experts. She frequently consults the Handshake app and attends events within the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business to make enduring connections and learn about future opportunities. 

“I've had big firms and people who work there even remember my face just from meeting at events,” she said. “Through these conversations it’s been really nice to get to know those people and make connections before actually applying to jobs.”
 
Just a few months into her first year at Duquesne, Kate already secured a summer 2027 internship with global accounting firm BDO. She’s excited to dig into what she’s good at and see what the future holds.
 
“I tell others to think ahead and where you see yourself,” she said. “There are so many opportunities here in Pittsburgh, and Duquesne will help you connect with them.”