Graduate Student Spotlight: Donny Williams '24 MS

“I decided to major in accounting because it is the language for business,” said Donny Williams ’24 MS, who began his master of science degree in accounting at Isenberg this year after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in May 2023. “The opportunities are endless. With an accounting degree, you can go into any field of business.”

Williams, who came to UMass Amherst from Tampa, Florida, knew he had chosen the right major when he took what ended up being his favorite undergraduate class at Isenberg: Intro to Accounting, taught by Senior Lecturer Kerri Bohonowicz. “It provided a foundation for the rest of my major and helped me confirm that accounting was what I wanted to pursue,” he said. During his undergraduate years, he played on the university’s Division I soccer team, maintained membership in the Commonwealth Honors College, and completed internships with Franklin Templeton Investments and RSM, where he was a process risk and controls consulting intern.

After graduating, Williams decided to start working on his master’s degree immediately because Isenberg’s program allows students to fine-tune their professional accounting and auditing skills while satisfying the 150 credit-hour requirement for taking the certified public accountant exam. “I chose Isenberg and UMass because I loved my time here as an undergraduate student and this is one of the top business programs in the country,” he said. “I knew the professors would help me achieve my goals and they’d be there to support me in my endeavors.”

Williams secured an internship in Florida with PwC during the winter session between semesters of his master’s degree and has been offered a position working in asset and wealth management auditing at the firm after graduating.

When asked how he might counsel his first-year undergraduate self, Williams said, “I would advise myself to create a schedule in order to stay organized, don’t be afraid to talk to other people, and keep a healthy balance—work hard, play hard.”