College of Business: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Ramzi Arbid
Senior Tax Associate
PricewaterhouseCoopers
(4 years of tax experience)
I could not imagine a more rewarding experience than the time spent at the Illinois MS Tax program. Both professionally and personally, my growth has surpassed even my own expectations.  After initial feelings of apprehension and inadequacy, I quickly developed a rapport with my classmates, professors, and administrators which eased the intense nature of the schedule. The care, understanding, and guidance provided by the faculty and staff assured me that they had a vested interest in my success.  The MS Tax Program has given me the knowledge and understanding to be the best tax professional possible. Through academic excellence, it has allowed me to leverage my skills and abilities into more advanced roles and responsibilities.

Minyu Deng (Anita)
Accountant I
Yukon Accounting & Consulting, Inc.
(3 years of tax experience)

After 3 years of working as a tax professional in China, I felt it was the right time to expand my knowledge. As a result, I moved from Shanghai to Chicago so that I could enroll in the ILLINOIS MS Tax Program. At first, I was really concerned about the courses since the tax system in US is very different from my home country. However, I soon learned when the program started that my concern was unwarranted. The instructors were always ready to help, and it was easy to talk with them because of the small class size. I also liked the group-based class format which allowed me to learn more during the group discussions and engage with other professionals. I was impressed that most of my classmates had different professional backgrounds and even different cultures. It was great to make friends with them, and the Illinois MS Tax Program made it all possible.
If I were to choose again, the Illinois MS Tax Program will still be my first choice!

Michael Flood
Partner
Caufield & Flood
(25 years of tax experience)

After 25 years of experience the adage “the more you know the more you realize you don’t know” continued to be a recurring theme throughout my professional career. The MS Tax Program enabled me to address this theme with certitude allowing me to be a more complete tax professional. A major concern entering the program was how would I be able to continue meeting the demands of managing a small CPA firm and not compromise service to clients and staff. The intense academic rigor and time commitment of the MS Tax Program were eased early on by the continual support the University had in place for the students. The accomplishments made throughout each phase of the MS Tax Program instilled a confidence that has and will continue to benefit my professional development and yield rewards that otherwise could not have been possible.

Olena Goroshko
Tax Associate, PwC
(2.5 years of experience)
As for most people in public accounting, my field of expertise is quite narrow. In order to help clients and understand their tax-related issues, it is essential to understand "the big picture" that drives the overall tax strategy of a company. The MS Tax Program gave me a broad overview of the U.S. tax system and enabled me to appreciate the complexity and depth of work performed by tax professionals. Even though after graduation I still do not know all the answers, the MS Tax Program gave me the tools and knowledge of where to search for information.
The condensed one-year format of the program made it possible for me to handle the work-study balance more efficiently. I greatly benefited from the lyceums and seminars that were an integral part of the program.  They gave me exposure and opportunity to observe and interact with tax professionals from different backgrounds who possess in-depth tax knowledge. The faculty and the leadership of the program are exceptional, and I truly felt that they were there to help me succeed. MS TAX is not only a great credential to have; it is an excellent tool of self-empowerment for a tax professional who wants to succeed in ever-changing environment.

Parrish E. Ivy
Tax Manager
Deloitte Tax LLP
(10 Years of Tax Experience)

I have been working in the State and Local Income Taxation area for approximately 10 years.  I felt that in order to continue to advance in my career I needed to have a broader understanding of the different areas of taxation, so I decided to go back to school to get my Masters in Taxation.  I wanted to enter into a program that would give me an in-depth understanding of the various areas of state, federal, and international taxation.  Additionally, I wanted a program that would allow me to receive my Masters degree at an accelerated pace but was flexible enough to accommodate my work schedule.  I knew that in order for both of my goals to be achieved the program would have to be small enough to allow me direct interaction with the professors and cover all areas of taxation.  The University of Illinois program enabled me to accomplish all of my goals and exceeded my expectations as well.   The faculty was very knowledgeable in all areas of taxation, the size of the classes allowed for direct interaction with the professors, and the Friday and Saturday class schedule worked very well with my career obligations.

Lindsay Remer
Accounting Manager
Sterling Partners
(4 years of tax experience)

I decided to go for my Masters in Taxation because as an accounting professional with increasing duties in the tax arena, working at a small, private firm did not offer me the same developmental opportunities as the larger public accounting firms.  There were many tax rules that I had only brushed upon in my experience that I wanted to delve deeper into in order to feel confident taking on more challenging and strategic tax work.  I compared several programs and thought that the accelerated program at Illinois would be the best match for me with my hectic work schedule.   Having class on Fridays and Saturdays gave me the flexibility to both handle my work load as well as complete class assignments.  Also, the Illinois faculty and staff took care of everything for me and my classmates, from meals to administrative requirements for the University, so all we had to focus on was the coursework.  Besides giving me the tools to learn more about tax, the program also taught me the skills to work effectively in a group setting and how to be a better public speaker.  While this program did allow me to become the “complete” tax professional, it also helped me to grow in so many other ways professionally.  The Illinois MS Tax Program overall was an amazing experience and I could not be more satisfied with the results.  I look forward to being a part of the Illinois Alumni community and keeping touch with the faculty, staff and my classmates.