The language of business

Nathan McLaughlin, '25, MBA '25, credits La Salle University's 4-Year (B.S./MBA) Accounting Program with his early success in accounting.

Knowing his end goal was a career in the business world, McLaughlin was confident that at some point in the future he'd return to school to earn an MBA. The accelerated program helped make his goals accessible and expediated his originally planned timeline.

When it came to his future career, Nathan McLaughlin, '25, MBA '25, knew two things: he wanted to work in business, and he would likely be getting an MBA one day. La Salle University's Accounting 4-Year (B.S./MBA) Program made achieving both a breeze.

From his first visit to campus, McLaughlin knew that 20^th and Olney was the place that he wanted to study.

"I visited a lot of different schools, and La Salle was just different," he said, adding that even from that first visit, it felt like everyone took an interest in him and already knew him. "At La Salle, you could tell that they actually wanted you to come there because they thought it was a good place for you and for everybody."

Like many Explorers, McLaughlin also noted that the sense of community at La Salle was better than other schools, and something that he valued throughout his four years.

For someone who had always known he wanted to be in business, the School of Business and its faculty were also appealing. McLaughlin's specific interest in accounting stemmed from an elective class he took in high school, where he loved the numbers aspect of the subject.

"Accounting is the language of business. If you can do accounting, you can do pretty much anything else in business," he said. "You can see the entire picture of a business by looking at financial statements, by looking at what the accountants do, you can see everything. It really appealed to me from a general business standpoint."

After he'd settled on accounting, McLaughlin discovered La Salle's 4-year (B.S./MBA) Accounting Program.

Knowing his end goal was a career in the business world, he was confident that at some point in the future he'd return to school to earn an MBA. The accelerated program helped make his goals accessible and expediated his originally planned timeline.

The 4-year program would also help with another accounting essential: getting his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license. Earning a CPA license requires 150 college credit hours. The first 120 are typically accumulated during undergraduate studies. The remaining required hours are often earned through additional education. One year of working experience, or 1,600 hours, is also required.

Being able to earn both his bachelor's and master's degree gave McLaughlin the opportunity to earn his credit hours all in one place.

"It seemed like a really good opportunity to take those 30 credits and get a master's degree," McLaughlin said. "It's a perfect scenario if you want to be in business and accounting."

Having a CPA license changes a lot professionally, he said. For example, accountants need one to own their own firm, and outside of accounting, it qualifies someone for jobs like being the CEO of a publicly traded company.

"It's one of the hardest professional designations you can get, and it qualifies you for basically anything in the business world you want to do," he said. "Anything in finance that you want to do, you can pretty much do with the CPA. And it's transferable across so many areas and industries in business."

La Salle starts teaching students about the CPA early on and in a structured way, McLaughlin said, something which isn't common at other schools. In the 4-year program, the master's semesters have Becker CPA Prep directly embedded into the curriculum, with each semester focusing on one of the four exams.

"That's a big help if you really give it the time it deserves," McLaughlin said. "If you really take those classes for what they're worth, they help big time in getting a jump start on the actual exam."

Throughout his time as an Explorer in the School of Business, the faculty that McLaughlin was learning from was a highlight and an essential part of his learning. He still talks to all of them, even after graduating.

"They really care a lot about your development as a student and how you're doing when you leave La Salle," he said. "Also, La Salle does a really good job at making sure that you're satisfied in your career and are doing what you want to be doing."

On top of helping with their student's careers, the careers that the faculty themselves have had are a benefit in the classroom.

"Another thing that sets La Salle apart from other schools is that the accounting faculty are very connected with the real world of accounting and business, whether that be from working in it for a significant amount of time before switching to teaching, or still working in it," McLaughlin said, adding that one of those faculty members is an Executive in Residence, someone who has spent significant time working in accounting and helps to ensure that the Accounting Program stays up to date with the industry and prepares students to enter the workforce. La Salle's current Executive in Residence, Mike McAleer, CPA, has spent over 30 years working in accounting in Philadelphia.

McLaughlin also noted that as well as early exposure to the CPA exam, Explorers also receive the opportunity to network from the beginning of their educational journey, including with alumni and corporate recruiters.

Through this hands-on learning environment, the preparation McLaughlin received helped him feel ready for his career. The next step? Earning that CPA license.

McLaughlin made the most of the resources the Accounting Department provided, passing the first exam in the spring semester of his senior year while taking a full courseload, and the second in the summer semester while he was taking a partial courseload. He took the last two exams after graduation and before his first day of work.

Today, McLaughlin works in the audit department at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). He's already passed all four of the CPA exams and will receive his license after completing one year of professional experience.

He credits his education with helping him get where he is so early on in his accounting career. And he sees the value of an accounting degree from La Salle.

"La Salle accounting has an amazing presence in Philadelphia," he said. "We have many successful alumni in high places that are always there for people and looking for ways to give back."

-Naomi Thomas