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Jody Hrazanek’s latest career move is an example of how pursuing a MS in accounting from Gies College of Business can open new doors.

Hrazanek, who is expected to graduate in May 2022 from Gies' online master's in accounting (iMSA) program, was recently accepted into the Security and Exchange Commission’s Student Honors internship program. She credits the iMSA program with helping to create this new pathway that will enhance her extensive investment and finance background with a deeper understanding of the principles and practices of accounting.

Hrazanek was most recently a managing director at Nuveen Asset Management in New York and has also held portfolio manager positions at Voya investment Management (formerly ING) as well as Merrill Lynch Investment Management. She is one of the few female portfolio managers in an industry historically made up of men.

“As I progressed in my career and my responsibilities evolved and grew, I came to appreciate more deeply how investment decisions impact the lives of my clients," she said. Additionally, she acknowledges the reality that an already complex market is getting even more complex leading her to ask what more she could do to help the industry work through those complexities. Hrazanek knew she wanted to play a role in preserving the trust investors place in her and the rest of the investing community.

Hrazanek began researching Gies’ iMSA program before the COVID-19 pandemic and began taking classes in May 2020. The iMSA is a flexible, fully online degree program that can be completed in 18-26 months. The program is designed to develop versatile business professionals, no matter the depth of their accounting background.

“The flexibility of the program continues to be one of the many things I value,” said Hrazanek, who added she has found immediate applications for the concepts she is learning in the iMSA’s data analytics track. 

Senior Instructor of Accountancy Angel Chatterton was instrumental in encouraging Hrazanek to pursue the SEC opportunity. She introduced her to Associate Professor Nerissa Brown who generously shared her experience and offered advice on her application. Brown paved the way for her to attend a guest lecture by an SEC employee and set up an informational interview with someone who had worked there.

“I was so well prepared for the interview process. I am so thankful,” said Hrazanek.

“The investment management industry is evolving quickly which means that the important work that is done to keep investors protected needs to evolve with it.  I am excited to have this opportunity to learn about that process both through my internship and my iMSA curriculum.”