Meet MAcc Student Hadja Bayo

MAcc student Hadja Bayo is a graduate of Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin. She received a B.A. in Business Management with a minor in finance and played basketball while pursuing her undergraduate degree. Originally from Round Rock, Texas, she came back to the Lone Star State to study accounting at Rice Business. Continue reading Bayo's profile to learn more about her journey to Rice and goals for long after graduation.

Tell us a little about your career and background.

Hometown: Round Rock, Texas

Education: Beloit College, Wisconsin, B.A. in Business Management with a minor in finance 

Relevant Career Highlights: While completing my undergraduate, I held an internship as accounting assistant to finance director at the YWCA in Janesville, Wisconsin. I worked with the finance director during the summer to update the accounting policies and procedures manual, revising the book based on input from those involved.

What is a fun fact about you?

I played basketball, was on the women's track and field team, and served as a manager for the women's volleyball team at Beloit College.

Why did you decide to pursue a MAcc?

I knew I wanted to take the CPA, but my undergraduate school didn’t offer an accounting degree for me to build credits. I also wanted to gain more experience in accounting to build on my business degree before pursuing a career in the field.

Why did you choose Rice Business for your MAcc?

One of my friends at Beloit was a year above me and also studied business. She pursued her MAcc at Rice after graduating, and had nothing but good things to say about the program here. I was in the McNair Scholars program at Beloit, which helped me figure out my next steps — and I knew I wanted to come back to Texas.

How would you describe the culture here?

The community is really welcoming, and both students and faculty are willing to help you out when you need it. I meet with my Issues in Financial Reporting professor, Stephen Zeff, all the time to talk through concepts. Ben Lansford, the director of the program, is also really kind and supportive.

Has anything surprised you about the MAcc program?

One thing that surprised me is how much real-world experience the faculty bring to the courses. Many of my professors have years of experience in auditing, tax and more. I’m currently taking Auditing with Kelly Drakey, and I can tell she uses her experience to tailor the materials for what we can expect in our next role — including how to apply AI.

What does a “day in the life” look like for you in the program? 

Most days begin with our MAcc classes from around 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. I’m currently taking Advanced Auditing, Issues in Financial Reporting III, Information Systems and Data Analytics, Business Law and Advanced Management Accounting. I’ll often grab lunch with friends in McNair Hall in between. After class, I like to head to the gym and work out before heading home to study for a bit. Our women’s basketball team is really good right now, so I've been going to games with my friends in the evenings lately.

What is your next career goal, and how has the program prepared you for it? 

In October, I’m going to start working at PwC as an audit associate. Leading up to that, I’ll be focusing on graduation and taking the CPA exam. The Rice MAcc program has been especially helpful in preparing me for the CPA, because the courses cover a lot of specific topics that I’ll be tested on. Rice has also helped me learn a number of habits that I know I’ll carry into my next role, like time management, study habits and organizational skills, which will help me start off on a strong foot.

Hadja Bayo is a Master of Accounting student in the Class of 2026.