Chris Wilson '23 Makes the Most of LMU Education
The moment New Orleans native Chris Wilson stepped foot on the LMU campus, he knew this was the place for him. “I immediately felt a strong sense of community,” he said. “The camaraderie among the students and faculty here is special. And, of course, the location isn’t bad!”
Chris is now a senior double majoring in accounting and management & leadership. He chose to pursue both majors to obtain a diversified skill set that can be applied to a multitude of industries. “Accounting has given me the foundation needed to understand financial statements and the overall health of a business,” he said. “And any decision a business makes impacts its people so I felt management & leadership would make a great combination.”
Chris has thoroughly enjoyed his accounting experience at LMU. The professors have been super helpful and always willing to lend a hand, and his favorite courses are those that incorporated technology into the curriculum such as “Cost Accounting” and “Accounting Information Systems.”
“As accounting firms lean more and more on these technologies, it’s important for students to be exposed to the latest innovations in the classroom,” he said.
Over the last four years, Chris has taken full advantage of the many opportunities that LMU offers and built a standout resume. He’s held a number of leadership positions on campus including CFO for the Associated Students of Loyola Marymount University (ASLMU) and student representative to the Board of Trustees’ Finance and Audit & Risk Committees. He currently serves as president of the Accounting Society, a campus tour guide and is a member of the business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi and honor societies Alpha Sigma Nu and Beta Gamma Sigma.
“My goal as president of the Accounting Society is to educate students on the diverse range of careers they can undertake with an accounting degree, as well as help them land internships and full-time offers with top firms,” he said.
In addition, Chris is gaining professional experience a student specialist in both the Controller’s Office and Office of the SVP of Finance/CFO, as well as assistant business manager in the Office of the SVP of Student Affairs. Last summer, he interned at KPMG where he assisted with program delivery and project management for transformations of Fortune 500 clients. He is a proud KPMG campus ambassador and recently accepted a full-time position to join the firm’s Transformation Delivery practice as a management consultant in summer 2023.
“I am so excited and grateful for this opportunity,” he said. “KPMG has invested in me so much over the last couple of years with mentors, friends and my internship experiences. This is definitely one of those pinch me moments.”
For someone who has clearly reaped the benefits of an LMU education, Chris’s advice to accounting students is a powerful statement of love:
“Lead with reckless love. Love that pushes you to take risks, to speak out against injustice, to try that hobby you’ve always wanted to try, to fall in love, to stand up for your friends, to take that class that always looked interesting to you, to apply for that job you’ve always dreamt about. When we lean into that kind of unconditional love of ourselves and each other that can push us beyond our comfort zone, life opens and becomes much more meaningful. It fills the blank canvas of our lives with colors of brilliance and light. It manifests opportunities we could never have thought possible. It changes everything.”