As most COBA students know, studying accounting at ACU is a sure-fire way to get hired by one of the prestigious Big Four accounting firms.
That’s at least the way things went for Brennen McMullin, a 2012 graduate of the program.
Brennen McMullin
Brennen, who is an auditor for Ernst & Young LLP, enjoys his job. “Public accounting is a fast-paced, high-demand environment that forces me to stay at my best and constantly learn,” explains Brennen. “I love that my job allows me to see many different client corporations.”
In addition to enjoying the high speed found in public accounting, Brennen also benefits from the fact that Ernst & Young is a large global firm. As a result of the company’s size and prestige, Ernst & Young is able to provide employees like Brennen with a massive array of resources and learning opportunities.
Like most things in life, landing a great job like Brennen’s is the result of many preceding steps. For Brennen, many of these steps were achieved during his time at ACU. One such experience, an Ernst & Young internship, taught Brennen a lot about working in the real world.
“The internship was great exposure to hands-on experiences that we are prepared for in class,” expounds Brennen. “Any kind of social club or group activity at ACU is a great way to build relationships and develop friends in your support network.”
Many business schools help students acquire internships and go on to get jobs, but not many integrate faith and learning in the way that COBA does. In fact, Brennen believes that this unique integration prepared him differently than the way his co-workers’ schools prepared them. “COBA prepared me differently than my coworkers because I learned from men and women that all succeeded in business while putting their relationships with Christ first.” This example was significant to Brennen and taught him that, “Christian priorities do not necessitate compromise with the world.”
Brennen McMullin with Dr. Rick Lytle, Dean of COBA
So what words of advice does this young professional have for current ACU students?
“Put all your effort into working hard, studying hard, managing your time, having fun, and building relationships with friends and mentors. Most importantly, remember to stay close to God, study his Word, and be grateful to Him for all things.”
It sounds like someone’s figured out what it looks like to put their relationship with Christ first.
He must be a COBA grad.