She’ll begin the one-year internship as a postgraduate technical assistant this summer after graduating from Georgia Tech with both an MBA and MS in economics.

“This will be great for my career,” says Yang, who aims to eventually work in an accounting advisory role for one of the “big four” accounting firms. “I’m so glad I can help strengthen connections between FASB and Georgia Tech.”

Since 1973, FASB has been the designated organization in the private sector for establishing and improving financial accounting and reporting standards. The Security and Exchange Commission recognizes its authority in these areas.

Yang, who will live in Norwalk, Connecticut, during the internship, says she’ll be working for FASB at a particularly interesting time as the organization moves to merge with the International Accounting Standards Board.

“The goal is to make standards universal, so that separate financial statements are not needed for U.S. and international markets,” explains Yang, whose duties for FASB will include lots of research.

Professional Path

But her interest in the field didn’t really develop until she took an accounting class at Shanghai Jiao Tong University while earning a bachelor’s degree in finance.

After graduation, she decided to pursue an MS in economics because she felt it would help her succeed in the financial services industry. She recognized that earning an MBA would expand her career potential even more so she entered the program after fulfilling her economics class requirements.

She’ll have completed both degrees within three years when she finishes her economics master’s thesis in the spring.

Right Programs and Professors

Important mentors for her include accounting professors Bryan Church, Eugene Comiskey, Charles Mulford, and Debby Turner. They were greatly supportive of her efforts to win the FASB internship, Yang says, adding that Comiskey's recommendation was key to her success.