Michaela Jones, a 2021 graduate of Mercer University‘s Stetson-Hatcher School of Business and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish.
What are your plans after graduation?
Immediately after graduating I will be taking some time off but will also be studying for the GMAT exam and beginning to study for the CPA licensure exam. In spring of 2022, I will be attending Georgia State University for a Master of Accountancy and an MBA in Healthcare Administration.
What is one of your favorite Mercer memories?
The 2017 Bearstock at Night with Waka Flocka my freshman year, hands down. It was just a wonderful weekend altogether filled with so much fun and craziness with all of my friends. I’ll never forget it. My freshman year altogether, honestly, holds some of my favorite Mercer memories, probably because it’s naturally the most exciting year since it’s your first year and everyone is so fresh-faced and bright-eyed about starting a new chapter of life.
How do you plan on changing the world?
I’ve always had a heart for service and for people for as long as I can remember, and anyone who knows me can attest to that. I love loving on those around me, and that’s the basis for anything and everything I do. And one of the ways I can do that best is through tutoring/education. And while pre-nursing didn’t work out, I still want to make my way back to health care through the administrative side so that I can continue to support underserved minority communities in an area where help is most needed. I want to pour back into the communities full of people who have left such memorable impressions on me throughout my life and the communities where my family is from.
What advice do you have for incoming students?
Your undergraduate experience is, quite literally, what you make it. Don’t come into college with a set-in-stone plan or certain expectations. We all already know life is so unexpected, but college can be too. The unexpectedness of college is really what can make your time here so much fun. Be flexible! I started out pre-nursing and completely jumped ship. Even if you have a plan, remain open-minded to that process of self-discovery. Join that “weird” club. Have those late night adventures with your friends. Be that student who isn’t afraid to ask questions. Turn up at Bearstock. Dance with Toby at athletic games. You don’t get this time back; make some memories. Do what you came to do, but don’t forget to have fun too.
How did Mercer prepare you for your future?
In both academics and just with the things life has thrown at me altogether, I feel as though Mercer has taught me what it looks like to persevere, that speaking up for yourself and chasing what sets your heart on fire is so important, and the importance of servant leadership. And more importantly, how all of these things can work together, no matter what field you want to pursue or study. Mercer prepared me to work hard the way I need to but also to remember that I’m still human, and so are my peers. Because, naturally, Mercerians are such ambitious and driven people, I was always inspired by those around me, and I still am, which is why I’m so optimistic about what the future holds.
What makes Mercer special to you?
I frequently tell others that Mercer has afforded me so many opportunities that I strongly believe I wouldn’t have had at another school. And coming from a high school of over 4,000 students, Mercer’s intimacy and size was also special. I truly felt like the people I knew were a community; my favorite parts were being able to build personal relationships with faculty and administrators, being a part of and working on several special projects, and so much more. And to be at a service-centered school with an abundance of service opportunities and types, as someone who has been volunteering for as long as I can remember, touched my heart in many ways. Mercer truly shapes its students to carry out the motto “major in changing the world.”
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