ORLANDO, Fla. – Madison Franklin wouldn’t call herself a risk taker.
Working at a public accounting firm in Florida, Franklin decided she would pursue a master’s degree in accounting to obtain enough credit hours to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant examination.
Fast forward one year, and Franklin finished with a Master in Business Administration with an Accounting concentration, all while landing a senior accounting position with NASCAR in Orlando.
She was one of the 1,106 students who graduated from LSUS in the summer semester.
“I got my bachelor’s degree online, and it wasn’t anything to write home about,” Franklin said of her experience at another college. “So when I was looking for an accredited, fully online program, I wasn’t expecting that much.
“But LSUS had good reviews, and it was a huge selling point to finish in a year. LSUS professors have been really involved, and it’s been a great experience.”
For all the flexibility and affordability that online programs can offer, one downside could be a lack of human interaction.
But Franklin went on a trip to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as part of the LSUS class International Experience, joining classmates and faculty member Dr. Dalila Salazar.
The group learned from local business owners while also experiencing Dubai and the surrounding desert.
“The world was a lot bigger than I thought,” said Franklin, who added that she was eager to use her newly acquired passport to travel somewhere out of the country. “A lot of those business owners got to where they are in that part of the world by taking risks in their professional lives.
“It opened my eyes to how business works in different places. This trip is probably the most adventurous thing I’ve ever done, and it’s made me want to try more new things.”
Franklin rode camels in the desert and was suspended from a building 50 stories high in downtown Dubai.
“The people were the best part – it made the trip amazing.”
Franklin recalls the anxiety about pursuing a master’s degree while working a full-time job, but she said she wouldn’t change a thing looking back on this year-long journey.
“Sometimes you just have to take the leap,” Franklin said. “I got an interview with NASCAR because I was pursuing a master’s degree, and I’ve been working here since April.
“I’m pretty happy where I’m at right now, and I’m open to the future.”
Franklin’s next step is to pass the CPA exam.
