Meet TSCPA Member: Rebekah Martin, CPA
While many of her classmates were finishing their undergraduate degree, Rebekah Martin, CPA, was already on her way to earning her CPA license. “The flexibility of taking college classes in high school allowed me to graduate a little early, so I was able to finish my master’s degree at 21 and get licensed as a CPA at 22,” she explains. Martin credits her mentors for guiding her career path and hopes she can do the same for others. “Some of the best advice I’ve been given is to lead by serving others. I’ve worked with some incredible leaders who have modeled this ‘servant leadership,’ and it’s something I want to really develop and incorporate into my personal brand both inside and outside of my work as an accountant. It’s exciting to be in a career with so much potential for growth, and it’s also exciting to develop skills that can be used to help other people.”
A Love for Learning
I was raised in Peoria, Illinois, and was homeschooled through high school. I loved the flexibility that came with being homeschooled and found that it helped me develop self-discipline, study skills and a love for learning that benefited me in college. I was also able to take classes at community college throughout my junior and senior year of high school, which gave me a great opportunity to learn more about what I wanted to do from a career perspective. I transferred to Lipscomb in 2018 as a college junior and completed my undergrad there (2020) and master’s in accountancy (2021).
Choosing Accounting
I entered college as a pre-law major and took accounting as a business elective. I had a professor, Dan Kelly, at my community college (Illinois Central College) who was passionate about teaching accounting. It was because of his class that I switched my major to accounting and decided to pursue it as a career! Dan encouraged me to start pursuing internships as early as I could, so I was able to get some experience in tax and audit during my sophomore year of college. That was instrumental in helping me narrow down what I wanted to do!
Greatest Influences
Dan Kelly, my financial and managerial accounting professor, is the reason I am in accounting today. He helped me see the value of accounting as a career and spent a lot of time answering questions and helping me develop a foundational understanding of accounting principles. My parents have also been really significant mentors to me, helping me evaluate what I want out of a career and how to prioritize the things in my life outside of work that are really important to me. I’m also thankful to work with a lot of amazing people at Deloitte who have taught me so much and been supportive in so many ways.
On the CPA Exam
I was blessed to have a really supportive community during my time studying for the CPA. Lipscomb’s MAcc is built around preparing students to take the exam, so I was able to take the exam alongside my peers (cohort). Having those people in my life who were supportive, encouraging, and studied and learned alongside me was a significant blessing.
Ciudad de Angeles
Assisting with audit work in Cozumel was a highlight of my year. It was a privilege to work with my former professor and a few fellow Lipscomb alums to do some accounting work for Ciudad de Angeles, an orphanage in Cozumel, Mexico. During our time in Cozumel, we were able to inspect the financial records of the nonprofit, interview staff members and develop an understanding of the organization’s ministry. We evaluated the entity’s business processes and offered suggestions for improvements to the local management and the board of directors. That trip was one of my first opportunities post-graduation to use my professional skills in a ministry capacity. It was a fun experience to collaborate with my peers, and it was energizing to know that the work we were doing was supporting people who are making a really positive impact. I was encouraged by the way everyone on the team brought unique skills and perspectives to our work. I learned a lot from the work and from our collaboration. I’m really thankful to be in a career that is developing skills in me that can be useful to people who are doing really important work caring for vulnerable and marginalized people.
Thoughts on the Future
I’m personally excited for the changes that will come with increased utilization of AI, automation and data analytics. I think we will continue to develop efficiencies and big-picture perspectives that will not only increase the effectiveness of our audits but will also be able to provide insights and value to our clients.
This article was originally published in the November/December 2023 Tennessee CPA Journal.