Aaron Morales ’25 spent the fall semester studying abroad in Spain immersing himself in classes ranging from statistics and international relations to watercolor and film, all while improving his Spanish. As a bonus, he experienced a different culture, and made friends to last a lifetime.
“I got to go to incredible places, including Morocco and the Canary Islands, and had unbelievable experiences—I rode a camel!” said Morales, who is majoring in Economics-Accounting.
Though he loved every minute abroad, he still missed the community at CMC. “I couldn’t wait to come home to CMC!”
“The reason I chose to attend CMC was because of the community,” he explained. “Everyone on campus is so friendly and welcoming that you instantly feel at home, and you can find a close-knit friend group in no time. In the few years I’ve been at CMC, I’ve met some of my closest friends. Even among my professors, I’ve made so many meaningful connections, which I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.”
His favorite class so far is "Accounting for Decision Making." “It introduced me to the field that I love, and it was the first time I developed an appreciation for the complexities, policies, and common sense that underlie the financial system today. It was also taught by my favorite professor, the rightfully legendary Professor Marc Massoud, in his last year before his retirement.”
Morales took a deep dive into accounting with an internship at PwC, where he worked on a team with four others, doing consulting and data analysis for a STEM education company targeting elementary, middle, and high school students.
“I improved my technical skills, but I also learned how to form and maintain professional relationships, reflect professional standards, and deeply educate myself about the industry, including regulations, confidentiality, and independence,” he said. “As a result of our work, my team was selected as one of the few semi-finalists out of a pool of hundreds of participants, meaning we could present directly to a board of PwC managers on the state level.”
Morales’ current career aspiration is to be an auditor, beginning as an associate and rising to the role of manager or higher. Eventually, he wants to transition to an internal company role in the public sector, either in a school system or the military. He will take another step toward his goals with an internship next summer at Deloitte.
“My relationships at CMC have given me the connections I need to get a start at Deloitte or PwC. For example, I got an internship at Deloitte next summer because of the recommendation of one of my professors,” he said. “At the same time, CMC is helping me prepare for this future by giving me the education I need to be competitive in this rapidly expanding field, especially on a technical level. CMC has given me a wide berth of knowledge that I can use in any field, making me a better worker and person.”
“My time at CMC has been better than I could have ever imagined. Though initially intimidated by the rigor of our academic expectations, I came to appreciate that rigor and how much I’ve grown on this campus, both as a student and a person,” he said.
“Most importantly, I feel CMC has given me a path forward. When I arrived, I had no plans for the future, and CMC helped me find my dream.”