SuccessBeyond

Romaine Burgess

Seneca Program

Seneca Degree Program

Master’s Program and Institution

The Seneca Experience

Why did you choose Seneca?

I selected Seneca as my school of choice because one of my brothers attended and told me about the valuable co-op work experience his program had afforded him. I decided to attend in hopes that I would get a similar experience.

How would you describe your experience at Seneca?

Overall I had a great experience. I had professors who were in the field and were able to tackle any questions posed to them. Also they were kept abreast of the changes in the profession. Class sizes were relatively small and gave you personal one-on-one time with the professors instead of being lost in larger class groups.

As a student, I was also a part-time employee; Seneca offers students the ability to find part-time work on campus.

Finally, as an immigrant who held a degree from another country, I was able to transfer some of my credits from my previous studies to Seneca and reduce my program time by getting transfer credit for certain subjects that I already completed.

Deciding on Furthering your Education

What influenced your decision to continue your education after completing your diploma?

After completing my diploma, I considered going for my CGA designation. Seneca’s Accounting & Finance and Honours Bachelor of Commerce – Accounting & Finance programs were both accredited by CPA (CGA then).

Seneca’s Honours Bachelor of Commerce – Accounting & Finance program also had a mandatory co-op term, unlike some universities that offered a Bachelor of Business Administration but did not have a co-op component. I weighed the options and decided to stay at Seneca.

How did you decide to study an MBA at Athabasca University?

Opentext provides a tuition assistance program that aims to support employee growth. As such, I decided to develop my skills further through this MBA.

Going from Diploma to Master’s

How did your Seneca diploma prepare you for your degree program and your MBA?

The programs at Seneca, along with my CPA and work experience, provided me with a number of transfer credits. This reduced the number of courses and time required to complete the MBA at an accelerated pace.

What was the transition of going from a diploma to an MBA like? What are some of the key differences?

As this is an accelerated program, it is catered to students with a background in accounting and ample management experience. For the Accounting MBA program, three years management experience is required for admission. What interested me the most was the fact that my undergrad study at Seneca was not taken for granted.

The major difference, however, is that the program is self-taught, and you will have to juggle work, family and school at the same time, which can be very demanding. Time management is therefore very crucial.

From experience, what is the value of having a diploma, a degree and an MBA?

A diploma is a tester, per say. Students will know by the end of the third or fourth semester if they want to pursue the field.

The degree puts the icing on the cake and takes you further, allowing you to explore the subject area further.

An MBA can open more doors and make you more marketable. Global recognition comes from some programs. An MBA can lead to job promotions, teaching and even research opportunities.

Having all three, you can leverage your academic experiences along with your work experiences.

Current Life

What are you up to now?

After Seneca, I went on to obtain my designation as a Chartered Professional Accountant. I worked as a Senior Accountant in the audit and assurance service line at Deloitte LLP for four years. Later, I took on a global opportunity at OpenText to lead the revenue recognition team.

I am now married to my beautiful wife, and we have two amazing boys, Kai’ro and Kayson, who keep us on our feet. As a family of four, we enjoy travelling and embracing new cultures, picturesque landscapes and trails.

Advice

Do you have any advice to students who are currently in the accounting program and are considering a pathway to the degree program?

Don’t ever stop believing in yourself. It doesn’t matter where you are from, it is all about where you are going. Start every day with a sense of pride and be eager to learn and you will be successful. Be ready for the challenge!

From experience, what is the value of having a diploma, a degree and an MBA?

A diploma is a tester, per say. Students will know by the end of the third or fourth semester if they want to pursue the field.

The degree puts the icing on the cake and takes you further, allowing you to explore the subject area further.

An MBA can open more doors and make you more marketable. Global recognition comes from some programs. An MBA can lead to job promotions, teaching and even research opportunities.

Having all three, you can leverage your academic experiences along with your work experiences.