Gail Chang ’20’21, who earned her undergraduate degree in accounting and M.S. in Accountancy at Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics, has been promoted to assurance supervisor at accounting firm RSM US LLP, effective Aug. 1. The new title caps more than five years of involvement with the firm, which began during her undergrad days at Cal State Fullerton and continued through her graduate program.

After serving as an audit intern in spring 2020, Chang went on to serve as campus ambassador from September 2020 to May 2021, followed by full-time roles beginning in January 2022.

“This experience helped me build lasting professional relationships with both students and professionals I met during that time,” says Chang. “Over time, the coaching and communication skills I developed while supporting campus recruiting evolved into a passion for training and mentorship. Today, in addition to continuing to assist with RSM’s recruiting efforts at CSUF, I also serve as a national instructor at our training center, where I help onboard and train new professionals.”

From both her undergraduate and M.S. in Accountancy days, Chang recognizes that her understanding of the fundamental concepts of accounting are inevitably linked to the exams, assignments and case studies she completed as a Business Titan. This knowledge has been invaluable for her as an accounting professional.

“As an audit practitioner, no two transactions are identical. When I began my career at RSM, I realized that the ability to research advanced accounting principles, interpret the literature, and apply them to each transaction through problem-solving is critical and adds value to the engagement team,” she says. “During my master’s program, I worked on case studies based on actual events, which helped me bridge textbook concepts to real-life business scenarios. These studies taught me how to identify potential accounting and audit risks through an auditor’s lens,” she says.

The ability to identify audit risks and ask insightful questions early in one’s career is often highlighted as a strength area for Chang when she is reviewed. This has enabled her to connect with high level C-Suite officials. She points to the M.S. in Accountancy program at Cal State Fullerton as the driving force behind this skill.

“The knowledge I gained through my master’s program prepared me to approach audit work with a more mature understanding of accounting, enabling me to ask more insightful audit questions when communicating with clients,” she says. “Reflecting on my time at CSUF, I realize I was well-prepared to enter the CPA profession with all the essentials I needed. With my master’s degree, I gained valuable knowledge and skills, which has allowed me to advance in this career that I love.”

For more on accounting education at Cal State Fullerton, read more of our articles on accountancy research and education and the M.S. in Accountancy specifically.