Class,

My name is Samuel Pankey and I am a full-time student. I received my associate’s degree in accounting from State Fair Community College in my hometown of Sedalia, Missouri in 2020, and this is my second semester attending Central Methodist University online. While I ultimately plan to get my degree through CMU, I am also attending in-person classes at the University of Central Missouri. It is my intention to earn my bachelor’s degree in accounting with a minor in finance, and I have enjoyed utilizing both academic institutions and formats towards achieving this goal. In all honesty, I have not decisively narrowed a specific career choice beyond the broad accounting profession. Because the field offers a diverse selection of paths to choose from, I can see myself adjusting towards a variety of opportunities that I cannot possibly predict at this point in time. Nevertheless, I currently see myself leaning towards public accounting. This current goal will be influenced heavily by the courses I have yet to take pertaining to auditing and tax. Personally and professionally, I enjoy the collective knowledge and security that comes with being a part of a group while still maintaining my own unique responsibilities, and I believe public accounting offers an attractive chance to develop client relationships and stay current with the accounting profession. For right now, my priority is to finish my degree and hopefully find an internship opportunity for the summer. I look forward to learning about fraud in this course and hope to apply the knowledge to other courses now and in the future.

Samuel