Michael Lin (MSA ’10) has always been interested in the “language” of the business world. He first began learning it while working toward an undergraduate degree in Finance in Beijing, but quickly decided to go on to pursue a master’s degree.
“I think it is a trend now that more and more people feel they need further education after they graduate college. I’m one of them,” Lin says. He decided to pursue a Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) at Bentley University since he sees accounting as the cornerstone of a successful business career.
“To me, choosing Bentley was a very easy decision,” he says. “I can still remember how excited I was when I received Bentley’s offer of admission eight years ago.”
An MSA Program Meeting All of his Needs
Lin sought an MSA program that offered strong academics, a good location, supportive Career Services, and affordable tuition. “I did lots of research when it came to picking my graduate school. Bentley is a clear winner in almost all the categories.”
He found he was able to delve deep into his studies at Bentley with knowledgeable professors and state-of-the-art facilities. In addition, many of his class projects involved real clients, allowing him to apply his learning and better understand concepts.
“The best part of the MSA program was that class projects gave me the opportunity to work with companies like Microsoft and Liberty Mutual to get a first look at the professional world and expand my network,” he says.
The draw of the Bentley MSA program wasn’t just about the academics, though; while at Bentley, Lin had a job in the Student Center, which allowed him to quickly adjust to school life and make friends. He also served as president of the Chinese Student and Scholars Association.
Graduation in the Midst of a Financial Crisis
For Lin, securing a good job upon graduation was a priority. “Finding a job was really tough back in 2008 and 2009 with the financial crisis, but [the Career Services advisers] made our lives much easier with all the help and advice they provided to us.”
Armed with the experience and business acumen needed, Lin began his post-graduate career quickly after graduation in the Finance Leadership Development Program (FLDP) at Boston Scientific. There, he was able to work in many areas, such as internal audit and corporate finance. Today, he works on their Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis team as a principal financial analyst.
Succeeding in Accounting
The accounting world is challenging and very technical, but Lin loves it. He knows that accounting is a highly valued skill in the business world, and the pride he takes from his accomplishments at work makes the effort worth it.
In addition, his job allows him the opportunity to travel frequently, which is something he enjoys. He’s already been to Paris, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, and Canada.
Lin’s natural curiosity makes him the perfect fit for this challenging field. “I believe learning is a life-long process and should never end,” he says. In his view, those successful in accounting take to heart this desire for knowledge. They can anticipate senior management’s questions and always “dig deeper to find the root cause of an issue.”
Years after graduation Lin continues his quest for life-long education, having obtained a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) license and an FP&A (Financial Planning and Analysis) license. He is now preparing for his CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Level III Exam. In the future, Lin hopes to be a finance director of a multi-national company.