From Texas State to the Big Four

After earning her master’s degree and passing all four sections of the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam on her first attempt, recent McCoy College of Business graduate Hannah Hawkins has plenty to celebrate. Now, she’s enjoying some well-earned time off before beginning her career at Deloitte, one of the Big Four accounting firms, in 2027.

Her journey to Deloitte began in a freshman accounting course at Texas State University.  

The Houston native entered Texas State with a different major but discovered an interest in accounting after taking a class with associate professor of practice Dr. Christopher Proschko. She found she enjoyed working with numbers and the technical side of accounting, which led her to switch her major during her first year.  

She earned her B.B.A. in Accounting in May 2025 before pursuing her Master of Accountancy (MAcy) degree, which she completed in August 2026.  

Although she initially wasn't sure whether graduate school was the right step, Hawkins said encouragement from McCoy College’s accounting faculty helped her decide.  

"The accounting faculty is so supportive and encouraging," Hawkins said.

That support continued throughout her time at the college. Hawkins remembers taking Intermediate Accounting I with associate professor of accounting Dr. Binod Guragai, a course known among accounting students for its difficulty.

"He is by far one of the best professors I've ever had," she said. “Anything you needed help with, he was there. He explained everything in a way that you could really understand it.”

Preparing for the CPA exam while earning her degree

For many aspiring accountants, preparing for the CPA exam is a major challenge, especially while balancing coursework. Hawkins found that McCoy College’s MAcy program made the process more manageable by incorporating CPA exam preparation into its curriculum.  

After earning her bachelor's degree, she took a few weeks off before starting to study for the Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) section of the exam. 

Although a dedicated FAR course wasn't available when she began preparing, the accounting program offered a summer study group that provided access to CPA exam preparation materials.

Other courses, including one focused on the Taxation and Regulation (REG) section, also helped her prepare for the CPA exam while completing her degree.

"You're learning the same thing that you learn for your CPA exam in your class," Hawkins said.

In July 2026, a month before completing her master's degree, Hawkins passed her fourth and final CPA exam section, successfully passing all four on her first attempt.

Connections that lead to opportunities  

Hawkins said McCoy College provided many opportunities to connect with accounting professionals and explore potential career paths.

She learned about Deloitte through Meet the Firms, a recruiting event hosted at Texas State that connects accounting students with prospective employers.

Hawkins met representatives from several firms, including Deloitte, during the event and received multiple offers before ultimately choosing Deloitte.

Dr. Bruce Howard, Master of Accountancy program recruiter, guided her through the recruiting process, including reviewing her resume and preparing for interviews.

Howard also helped Hawkins determine whether tax or audit was a better fit.

"He was always a great help," Hawkins said. "He helped me decide between tax and audit when I was doing my internships and continued to guide me as I navigated those career decisions." 

Hawkins said McCoy College’s networking opportunities helped her develop another important skill: communication.

She remembers feeling nervous at her first recruiting event and struggling to communicate confidently with employers. But with each additional opportunity to interact with accounting professionals, she became more comfortable with those conversations.

Bringing classroom experience into her career

As Hawkins prepares to join Deloitte full-time in audit and assurance next year, she sees a direct connection between her graduate coursework and the responsibilities she expects to take on.

One course that stands out is Advanced Auditing, taught by associate professor of accounting Dr. Nate Cannon.

Hawkins said Cannon designed assignments around realistic client scenarios, giving students hands-on experience with the work they would do in their careers.

“Instead of just learning about auditing through a textbook, we got to work through real-world scenarios,” she said. "We worked with things like workpapers, spreadsheets, data analytics and data visualization, so we were actually practicing the kinds of things we would encounter in the profession.”

That hands-on approach helped Hawkins understand what to expect as she transitions from being a student to working with clients and supporting an audit team.

For now, she's enjoying some time away from studying to travel, connect with friends, and catch up on television shows.

Looking back, Hawkins encourages current accounting students to take advantage of the resources available at McCoy College, particularly those interested in pursuing their CPA license.

"While you're in school, it is a perfect time to start your CPA journey because Texas State has all the opportunities available for you," she said. “Everything you need is right there. You just need to take advantage of it.”