'The Best Education Teaches You How to Learn'

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Moussa Seck '10, MBA '12, says his secret to professional success isn't having all the answers ... it's knowing how to ask the right questions.

"I think the best education teaches you how to learn," Moussa says. "The real world doesn't throw problems at you like you'd see in a text book, with all the details you need to solve them. In a business setting, it's a matter of finding the information on your own."

After completing his undergraduate degree in 2010, majoring in Business Management with concentrations in Accounting and Finance, Moussa started his first full-time accounting job and simultaneously enrolled in Curry's Master of Business Administration program.

"The workforce is getting increasingly competitive, and having an MBA in the business world today is important in a way that it might not have been 20 years ago," he said.

When it came to selecting a master's program, Moussa says he wanted the small, interactive classes and high-quality teaching he'd enjoyed as an undergraduate at Curry. The cohort-based structure of the program also appealed to him.

"You work with the same people for two years," Moussa said. "There's a synergy that develops, and you learn to function like a real-world professional team."

Each of Curry's MBA cohorts works as a consulting group for an operational business, formulating recommendations based on the client's history, needs, challenges, and goals. Moussa's cohort advised Fuji Group, which owns and operates a number of restaurants in the Boston area.

"We went in, analyzed their core competencies and needs, and assessed their options for expansion," Moussa said.

For their capstone projects, the Curry MBA cohorts formally present findings and recommendations to their respective clients, after months of in-depth research and analysis. Many of the businesses go on to implement some or all of the suggested strategies.

Fuji Group successfully added several new restaurant locations after working with Moussa and his classmates. 

"It's really satisfying to see that," Moussa says. "Understanding business theory is great, but putting it into practice and seeing our suggestions enable somebody to take their business to the next level makes me feel proud. It's proof of both the quality of our cohort's suggestions and of the MBA program."

Moussa says beginning his graduate studies immediately after earning his bachelor's degree gave him a professional edge and helped ensure he didn't lose academic momentum. He recommends current and incoming undergraduates consider Curry's new accelerated dual-degree option, which would let them earn both bachelor's and master's degrees in just five years rather than the traditional six.

"I would have definitely taken advantage of that fast-track option if it had existed when I was at Curry," Moussa says.

Whether in the classroom or the office, Moussa says he strives to keep learning.

"I think the desire to grow is absolutely necessary to be successful," he says.