Meet recent RMU graduate and proud alumnus Cameron Brinker ‘25, a core tax associate at BDO USA. Cameron explains that there were numerous reasons why he chose RMU to begin his collegiate career, noting that he felt an ‘at-home’ atmosphere from the moment he stepped on campus.

“Why I chose RMU, in the beginning, was the welcoming atmosphere and the size of the university… being close to Pittsburgh and having all the opportunities, while also being small enough to really care about each individual student… I felt that the first day I stepped on the campus, which is ultimately why I chose RMU…”

Cameron believes that the opportunities he received at RMU helped shape where he is today, both personally and professionally.

“I had the opportunity to have 6 internships, which led to multiple job offers and, ultimately, led to the job I have today. The different organizations that I was a part of gave me leadership experience… I got to experience a bunch of different, diverse groups of people, which really helped me grow personally. From a social aspect, there were a lot of… different opportunities to socialize with the groups I was a part of as well as different groups of people that I normally didn't get to socialize with growing up, which helped me expand and have a better holistic view on RMU and the community.”

Cameron also shares that there were countless professors, faculty, and alumni that helped him gain the experience he needed along the way.

“... Being close with President Patrick… being able to… talk with her and where the strategy of the university was heading… As a student, she always puts the students first, which… made me and all my friends feel really good about the direction RMU was going in… From an accounting standpoint, the department head, Dr. Abdullah, as well as Dr. Krivacek, and the rest of the accounting faculty really are what pushed me to be the best I could be and gave me the opportunity to secure the job that I have today…”

Cameron completed RMU’s integrated MBA program, graduating with his undergraduate degree in accounting and his MBA with a concentration in business analytics. He says that having an MBA is an invaluable asset.

“I think the MBA is super valuable from a personal standpoint… Having the opportunity to earn my master's degree while earning my bachelor's was something that I wanted to do for myself… It's very helpful to have a holistic view of the business world and how business operates, which helps me in my day-to-day job. I think all the integrated programs at RMU are very beneficial… but my experience in the MBA program really propelled me into the professional career I'm in today…”

Not only does Cameron credit RMU for guiding and preparing him for his career—but he also remembers the memories and events that made his time at RMU so meaningful.

“On campus, I always split my time between on-campus events and off-campus events… Specifically, as the Harshman scholar, I work directly with Dr. Abdullah… and we'd always have our accounting day, which I always pride myself in being able to bring as many Accounting firms onto campus as possible to give students the opportunity to network and get internship opportunities… In the spring, we had a spring leadership expo, which is another time where students could connect with firms… Off-campus, as part of Beta Alpha Psi and Beta Gamma Sigma, I had the opportunity to travel to Las Vegas and California for multiple international accounting-related conferences, which helped me learn from industry professionals and bring back valuable information and skills to our accounting organizations at RMU…”

Cameron made lifelong friends at RMU—and even met the other half of his Colonial Couple right on campus.

“The biggest thing for students who are recent grads, whatever their major may be, is to maintain those relationships they develop while at RMU… Because you never know how valuable they will be down the road…”

“At RMU, I met my girlfriend in the RMU accounting program… We met through the RMU accounting program and the Association of Future Accountants. The accounting program is not only where we first met, but it is where we met our friend group who have stayed connected to this day… It’s a great place to build relationships personally and professionally…”

Cameron says he’s proud to be an RMU alumnus.

“I'm very proud to be an RMU alumnus, and I think, ultimately, RMU does a great job of keeping its alumni connected with both undergraduate and graduate students… I think the best thing that any RMU graduate can do is give back in any way they can… Whether it's the programs that they were in or the clubs and organizations… Going back for different club events or going back for different networking opportunities… Just giving their time to keep that chain of alumni connected with the current students at RMU…”

Since graduating, Cameron’s life has moved rather quickly. He is working in Pittsburgh as a core tax associate at BDO USA—the 5th largest accounting firm in the world—a position he only started in July.

“The summer after my junior year is when I interned with BDO, and then, decided to commit full-time with them… Going into my senior year, I was already committed to them, already having a job, which was definitely nice… I jumped right in, got through the training process, and had my first busy season on the tax side. It was kind of a trial-by-fire type of deal… I learned a ton and I'm really enjoying my job and the people that I work with. So, it's been a great transition. RMU prepared me well for that transition…”

Cameron states that RMU’s career-ready programs are a key reason why he was prepared for his current career and professional odyssey.

“I think everything—from the coursework to the soft skills and the personal development including communicating with professionals, dealing with certain situations, and problem-solving—is where the MBA program came into play. As far as the foundational base of accounting and all the skills necessary, it prepared me for the CPA exam, prepared me for the work that I'll be completing… RMU succeeded… I think it all goes back to the professors and how they give their 100% to the students… Students have the opportunity to absorb as much of their knowledge as possible, which really sets them up for their career…”

Cameron further emphasizes how deeply connected and rooted RMU alumni are in the Pittsburgh area, specifically, the public accounting community.

“... You could name any public accounting firm in Pittsburgh and I stay in contact with at least one alumnus… Whether it's a friend I went to school with, someone who was an upperclassman… The accounting industry in Pittsburgh is a very tight-knit community, but I can honestly say that through RMU directly, I have connections at pretty much most of the public accounting firms… As far as alumni, my main group of friends who are all in public accounting and either have their CPA or are working towards their CPA… That's my main friend group who I still talk to to this day…”

Cameron is currently working towards his CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and thinks it is a valuable certification to have, especially in the accounting field.

“It's the professionalism of the certification. That's the importance of the CPA… every accounting student, RMU has always encouraged them to go for their CPA… There's plenty of professors who have experience or have their CPA and give students their perspective on the best ways to achieve that. It's a very hard exam, a very hard process, but it's definitely worthwhile… I know all of my friend group have either acquired their CPA or are going for that. So, it's extremely valuable, meaningful, and prestigious…”

Cameron has also begun giving back to his alma mater in more ways than one:

“I want to give back to RMU and I have been able to do that by joining the recruiting team at BDO, where I've been to RMU 6 times already since starting in July… For the career fair, accounting day, AFA and BAP events, and the Accounting Mentorship Program, where I'm a professional mentor… It's a tight-knit community and being able to kind of come back to campus and give my advice and experience to my student mentees and the rest of the accounting students… It means a lot to me…”

Finally, Cameron wanted to leave new graduates, upcoming alumni, and future Colonials with a few words of wisdom.

“ I really think, as a recent graduate, the best thing you can do is just send that text to stay in touch, connect on LinkedIn, and don't be afraid to reach out (even if you haven't talked to somebody… in a few months). Because keeping those connections, especially early on, will help you tremendously down the road because you never know when those connections will be useful in your career. For me, being an RMU alumnus means having a great network of connections, meaningful relationships with your professors and staff, and lifelong friendships...”