My time at DePaul has been nothing short of extraordinary. Going into my freshman year I was nervous to start at a new school in a city I had never lived in. But looking back at my decision to come to school here, I would make the same decision 100 times over. I have met the most amazing people and, most of all, I have learned what it means to be Vincentian.
Following my years here at DePaul, I will be graduating with a double major in honors accountancy and finance. I am currently in the process of obtaining my CPA which I hope to be licensed with by next year. In the fall, I start working at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the assurance practice. I will be based in the Chicago office working on auditing financial services companies. I am so excited to start my career and learn more about how banks and brokers work within the city we call home. While at this moment, I am unsure how much time I will spend in public accounting, I look forward to applying what I have learned over the past four years and continuing to grow in my career.
With my time in Catholic Campus Ministry, I could not be more grateful. The office gave me a community to call home within my first week at DePaul and I have met my closest friends. Starting from the hospitality coordinator, to Altar Server Coordinator, and now moving to Liturgy Coordinator, I have grown to appreciate and love the Catholic Liturgy. It has not only given me more love for the Liturgy but deepened my relationship with Christ in the process. I have seen Christ and the Holy Spirit at work in not only the Liturgy, but in the retreats, CCM offers each year. Each time I left campus, even with those I barely knew, I was able to grow closer to them and Jesus.
In summation, I will provide some unwarranted advice to anyone willing to listen. First, love every minute of your time at school. Looking back, I know there are tough moments with exams and in relationships, but these years have been the best of my life. Second, be open to the plans God has for you during your time at DePaul. I can think of a variety of times when I didn’t want to participate in something, and God pushed me in that direction (He was right). And finally, don’t be afraid to fail. Nothing good was ever accomplished without failure, embrace it.
