Nicole Sanchez ‘22 M'23, an accounting major and international studies minor, is finishing strong during her last year at the University of Hartford. The Barney School’s 3+1 accelerated program allowed Nicole to advance at a much quicker pace compared to what she would have been able to accomplish at many other universities. When asked about her academic experience, Nicole reveals, “The structure of the program was right up my alley. I felt like it was tailor-made for me.”
Over the summer, Nicole landed an internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as an external audit intern. In that role, she provided business advice to a variety of PwC clients. “I feel so privileged to be able to intern with this firm because I like the environment and identify with their mission and values,” she says.
Nicole credits the library websites, exclusive subscriptions to tutors, and skilled academic staff for her success at the university. The almost unlimited access to practical research and background material and the one-on-one attention with professors created an atmosphere that was exceedingly conducive to learning, she says. Professors and staff were constantly available to ensure that every step of Nicole's educational experience went as smoothly as possible.
She also describes the impact of Barney’s flexibility on her academic journey. “The number of courses offered made me feel like I could explore other areas and learn about my own interests, aside from business. After five semesters of chosen electives I learned that I had an interest in international studies, which I never would have figured out without the flexibility offered by Barney.”
Nicole hopes to work at a top-five accounting firm when she graduates and begin the CPA exam process. Her goal is to become certified within the next three years and take advantage of every opportunity subsequently presented to her.
“The best advice I could give to incoming students,” she offers, “is to be organized. Keeping a schedule really helped me stay on top of my coursework and allowed me to have a great college experience.”
Nicole Sanchez ‘22, M'23, Barney School of BusinessWhat I liked most about the UHart/Barney experience was the flexibility. The many courses offered made me feel like I could explore other areas and learn about my own interests, aside from business. After five semesters of chosen electives, I learned that I had an interest in international studies, which I never would have figured out without the flexibility offered by Barney.