Student Spotlight: Wellsley Da Silva '28

Wellsley Da Silva is a sophomore accounting major from Brockton, MA, who expects to graduate in the spring of 2028. Da Silva recently had the opportunity to attend the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) Northeastern annual conference in Philadelphia thanks to sponsorship from the Department of Accounting and organizational support from Isenberg’s Office of Access, Collaboration, and Engagement for Success (ACES). He spoke with us about his valuable experiences at the conference, as well as his journey at Isenberg so far.

What have been your favorite classes and experiences at Isenberg so far?

My favorite class so far has been Accounting 221 with Professor Bradley Bennett. I appreciated that he went in-depth about the basics of accounting to provide students with a good foundation for the future, while also keeping the class accessible and easy to succeed in. I’ve had many great experiences with my professors and look forward to building those relationships further.

What clubs and extracurriculars do you participate in?

I am the event coordinator for the UMass Brotherly Union, a student-run organization that works to empower and promote unity among men of color at UMass. I’m also working to restart the local chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants at Isenberg.

What are you planning after graduation?

I’m hoping to join one of the big 4 accounting firms (EY, Deloitte, KPMG, and PwC) and work my way up the ladder. I also want to start a program that will assist low-income workers with completing their annual tax returns.

If you could go back and give your first-year self some advice, what would you tell them?

I would tell myself to focus on me and do what benefits my professional and personal growth, rather than spending time worrying about what people think about me or what they think I should do.

What was it like to attend the NABA Conference?

The NABA conference was a new and exciting experience for me. It was great to meet so many amazing people who had so much knowledge about accounting to share with people like me who are newer to the discipline. I loved getting to learn about the variety of career paths that I could go down while still being an accounting major and doing the things that I love.

What were your most valuable or impactful experiences there?

I would have to say that the most valuable experience that I gained from the conference was the case study competition. It was really interesting to work on a real-world case and practice my skills, but on top of that, participating in the competition also helped to improve my leadership skills. During the competition, my group would meet up and work together to complete our assignments, and at these meetings, I would help assign work to everyone to better assist the group and distribute the workload. Even though I was not the official team leader, I got to build my leadership experience by managing this workflow and watching the senior in our group lead the team in ways I hadn’t thought of before. This experience gave me a new view on what it means to be a team leader.

How do you feel that the accounting department has contributed to your personal and professional growth, both by enabling you to attend this conference specifically and in general throughout your time as a student here?

It feels great to know that the accounting department believes in my ability to bring the NABA chapter back on campus and has supported me throughout this process. The department has also assisted me in connecting with people all over the East Coast to help me grow as a professional and gain access to opportunities that I can bring back to campus and share with my peers.

Why do you think it’s important for students to attend conferences and other development opportunities outside of the classroom, like this one?

I think that it’s essential because they provide you with a deeper understanding of where you want to be and reveal other opportunities that you may not have considered. For example, I recently attended a conference that had representatives from a couple of manufacturing companies. I learned that these companies hire accountants and even have internships for them, which weren’t the kind of opportunities that I would’ve expected those kinds of companies to offer. It was great to learn about this potential new path, and I may not have known about it if I hadn’t attended this conference.

How do you see ACES helping students across Isenberg?

ACES helps so many students find opportunities on campus, figure out their future career paths, and even helps students to start clubs on campus. They are a great resource for the Isenberg community.