At the end of the day, McKenna Jay Mauliola Mau, ’19, hops a Metro bus from his summer internship on Seattle’s waterfront to his Capitol Hill apartment. The Hawaiian native has grown accustomed to his urban lifestyle—from conveniences like the city’s bike share program to opportunities for networking with some of the world’s top companies.
Looking back, Mau is glad he chose Seattle U over the rural university he was also considering his senior year of high school. Then a prospective business student, Mau was banking on Seattle’s international business hub offering more job prospects.
In the summer of 2018, that decision began paying dividends for the Albers School of Business and Economics accounting major. He secured an accounting internship with the Port of Seattle through a career fair hosted by Seattle U. The opportunity gave him professional experience and connected him with a mentor.
Mau didn’t get here overnight. Many of his skills that seem effortless now were foreign to him in his first two years of college. He says Seattle U and Albers speaker events, career fairs and placement counselors helped develop his professional aptitude. Joining the Beta Alpha Psi Academic Honor Society also offered networking and recruiting opportunities with national and international firms.
Networking intimidated Mau until he learned how to pitch his experience in a few sentences. He made an effort to keep attending events and improve his skills. “When I first came here I didn’t know how to talk to people at those things,” Mau says. “I’ve seen a lot of changes in myself over the years.”
After graduation, Mau will follow the prevailing industry trend and pursue his master’s in public accounting (MPAC) to have enough credits needed to sit for his Certified Public Accountant license. Should an internship or job offer come along, he can pursue his MPAC at night.