Emily Nerbonne on Far Reaching Community
Emily Nerbonne is a SOM Alumna who graduated in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in accounting. She is pursuing a Master of Accountancy at Auburn University this fall. Despite taking all of her classes online, Emily felt a strong sense of community within SOM. The wide variety of events, clubs and opportunities makes it easy for people to get involved. Through these experiences, students are able to make connections with their peers and find people who can offer support and mentorship. There is a feeling of connectedness that comes from the high level of community involvement, even for distance education students. Emily shared some thoughts about her SOM experience with us recently.
"When I first started working towards my degree, I didn't know how I would interact as a distance-education student. Living in Delta Junction, my life was far from campus. Yet, ultimately I felt included and became a part of the SOM community.
Last fall, after attending the SOM Accounting Recruitment Week, I was offered an internship opportunity at KPMG for the summer. With my internship, I have been given the opportunity to work in the telecommunications industry and work alongside experienced audit professionals. It has been great to be able to use the knowledge I’ve gained from my professors in a business setting.
Primarily due to the engaging instructors at SOM, I enjoyed all my classes. Although many professors made a difference in my undergraduate experience, Ruth Prato was involved in my growth and development from the very beginning. She became an advisor and friend, and she was the professor who introduced me to the director of the accounting program at Auburn University. As an Auburn University alum, she was super happy to help me and was equally excited when I was accepted into its graduate program. The ultimate goal of my college career is to become a CPA, and thanks to the encouragement of my professors I am working towards the next step in that journey.
After working on class projects and attending events together, many of my fellow classmates are now close friends. I stayed engaged with SOM through its newsletters, faculty communication, and general kindness. The SOM community made my undergraduate years an unforgettable experience that will forever shape my future."
-Emily Nerbonne, SOM Alumna
