Class of 2022: Liuginsa Rosa

When Liuginsa Rosa was touring colleges with her son, Armando, in October 2017, she didn’t expect that she too would become a college student. During an admission event for prospective students, Liuginsa says, “I heard a panel of students describing their positive experiences and the opportunities they were pursuing. I saw myself in their stories and aspirations. I immediately fell in love with the school and decided to change my future to have more control over my personal finances.”

Rosa is a 2022 graduate from the Isenberg School of Management, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She was born in Dominican Republic and is a first-generation and nontraditional college student. Her college journey began at Holyoke Community College where she pursued the Business Administration Mass Transfer program. She worked tirelessly to maintain a strong GPA, one of the requirements to transfer to Isenberg. She graduated from HCC in August 2020, and from there, she transferred to UMass Amherst, her first and only choice.

During her time in Isenberg, Rosa was an accounting major. She always knew it was the path she wanted to follow, she says, because “accounting is the language of business.” At Isenberg, she gained the knowledge required to succeed in an array of career fields. She was a member of the Isenberg Delta Nu chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, an accounting honor society focused on professional networking, growth, and service. Through her chapter, she was connected to and informed about activities going on within the university and assigned a mentor who supported her in her success at Isenberg. She credits the Isenberg Career Center with her success, as advisors like John Aube, Megan Smith, Kimberly Figueroa, and Dave Wells guided her endlessly throughout the process of pursuing higher education. From helping her get into the classes she needed to polishing resumes, the Career Center was there every step of the way. “Honestly, I had so much support at the Career Center that the list would be endless,” she says. “The support and education I received helped me understand that getting to college is not enough. Being supported to resolve pain points and mitigate risks along the way is necessary, especially for students who do not have this extensive and skilled support network outside of school.”

Through two internships she completed at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Rosa learned about the PwC culture and made valuable connections with people at all levels in the firm. “Regardless of their role, everybody was willing to meet virtually and share about their career path and what led them to their position in the firm. At Isenberg, I learned about the power of building a network and growing through other people’s experiences. Now I am connected with most of them on LinkedIn and continue to learn along with them.” Her second internship with PwC was during her senior year as an advance intern with the personal finance service tax team. In this role, she was a part of a highly skilled team that supported her learning and growth every step of the way.

As for post-graduation plans, Rosa  has enrolled in a Master of Science in Taxation program, which she will begin in the fall of 2022. Once finished with her master’s, she will be a full-time tax associate at PwC’s Hartford, Connecticut, office.

Rosa says that new students need to have the courage to ask for help. “There are so many resources and support at Isenberg, but they will miss the benefit if they don’t ask for what they need.”

She leaves students with a small reminder as well, saying, “I want to let people know that regardless of your stage in life, it is never too late to chase your dreams when you have the courage to try, seek help, and leave your comfort zone.”