Carlos Garcia
Carlos Garcia took a chance on Georgia State University — the only college he applied to. As he approaches the end of his time here, he reflects on the journey, the determination it required and the payoff.
Interview by Jordan Ferguson
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I am a first-generation college student from Conyers, Ga. My parents emigrated from Mexico in the late 1990s. I’m currently a senior majoring in accounting, and I’ve been living on campus all four years. It’s been a great experience here.
What activities are you involved in?
On campus, I’ve been involved with University Housing as a resident assistant for three years. I’ve also been involved in some student-run organizations, like the Latin American Student Association and Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Incorporated. Through Lambda Theta Phi, I was able to build a community with other like-minded individuals with similar experiences. I have also furthered my professional development through on-campus and off-campus organizations, like the Association of Latino Professionals for America. I attend events on campus but also nationally at conferences, where I’ve been able to network and meet new people. I also work with Management Leadership for Tomorrow, and participated in an 18-month program that set me up for professional development success. I have participated in two internships and have another internship lined up for next summer.
The J. Mack Robinson College of Business has been a great resource for me. I recently participated in the Panthers in the District program in Washington, D.C. They took us to meet with two of the Big Four accounting firms, Deloitte and EY. We also met with some of our legislators, so that was a great experience.
Why did you choose to major in accounting?
When I first came to Georgia State, I wasn’t too familiar with what degrees were offered and didn’t know what I should major in. I thought about marketing, but I came in undecided. During my first few weeks, I met my mentor, who’s an accountant and co-director of a nonprofit. She told me, “Accounting is like the language of business.” I thought, “If I want to understand businesses and the business industry, I should know the language, too.”
Tell me more about your internships.
The first internship I had was at the end of my sophomore year with a company called Sixth Street. It was a life-changing experience because I was able to move out of the city of Atlanta for the first time in my life. I moved out to Dallas for the summer of 2022 and got that feeling of independence, but I also gained real-world experience, being able to network, work with others on teams and build relationships. Then, this past summer, I did the Discovery Internship program at Deloitte, here in Atlanta. It focused more on tax but was overall kind of about getting to know the firm. I was able to see what they do and the impact that they have on their clients. At that internship, I felt like I was able to use the experience I had learned from my previous internship — networking with more people and learning the basics, like how to create a presentation for your managers, how to send cold emails to people who work at the firm and how to work effectively within the team. This coming summer, after graduation, I will be back with Deloitte as an Audit & Assurance Staff intern, and I plan on attending graduate school to get a master's in accounting.
How has Georgia State set you up for success?
I was able to build the soft skills of holding a conversation and connecting with people by being socially involved in organizations and living on campus. I was able to parlay those experiences into my professional development. Furthermore, I think the J. Mack Robinson College of Business has so many resources with the faculty and staff. I remember my second time taking an accounting course, I felt so discouraged about continuing my degree, but my professor pulled me aside and said, “Carlos, you need to focus, study, make flashcards, and you’ll be good for the exams.” Having that community here at Georgia State kind of empowered me to continue my degree and continue moving forward to graduating and beyond in my career.
What does this degree mean to you, as a first-generation college student, and your family?
Oh, it means a lot. I would say it means my parents’ sacrifice and them leaving their family to start a new life in another country, which was very challenging, was worth it. This degree pays it forward to them.
