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Nathan Legg, of Fairfield, was among accounting students from across the nation selected to participate in the 2025 Two-Year Bridge Symposium hosted by the American Accounting Association Foundation.
The one-day event is designed for two-year college students, providing the opportunity to connect with accounting professionals, learn about career and transfer pathways and get real-world advice on how to succeed in the accounting field.
The symposiums are held in several U.S. cities with attendees’ expenses fully covered. Legg attended the St. Louis event at KPMG, a professional services firm that provides audit, tax and advisory services to businesses and organizations throughout the region.
Legg, who will earn his associate degree from OCC this spring, said the event was highly beneficial, providing valuable insight into various areas of accounting and the credentials he may pursue.
“I learned a lot more about the accounting field through the symposium and I really enjoyed it,” Legg said. “It taught me what other aspects of accounting would look like. They had a panel discussion that included someone who was still in college, and others who had two years’,six years’ and 20 years’ experience in the field. They discussed the areas they were working in, and it was interesting to see how their jobs looked at those different intervals.”
After graduating from OCC, Legg plans to transfer to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and double major in accounting and finance. He would like to pursue a career in managerial accounting, working for a small company or financial institution.
Olney Central College’s Accounting Program enables students to earn an associate degree and enter the workforce immediately after graduation, or with a few additional courses, transfer to complete a bachelor’s degree. The ability to finish the two-year degree fully online is another big advantage.
In addition to the associate degree, OCC offers Bookkeeping and QuickBooks certificates, which can add another skillset for students.
“OCC has been awesome,” Legg emphasized. “I like the intensity of the accounting classes, and the instructors are very good. With my Instructor Amie Mayhall, I know if I ever need anything, I can email her or talk to her in class. She is always available to help.”
