As a graduate student, Alicia Frederick M’21 is no stranger to organizing her thoughts, putting pen to paper and exercising her writing skills. She was reading Strategic Finance Magazine and noticed a prompt that asked IMA (Institute of Management Accountants) members interested in a spotlight to reach out to the editor. Frederick emailed her interest and a few weeks later received guidelines for an IMA Life Column.
“I thought it would be so cool to be in a magazine,” Frederick said. “I did not expect to get a response back, as I was not the 'typical' candidate seen in the magazine. The IMA Life Columns I had read were about industry professionals well into their careers. However, I wanted to represent my university, my company and make my family proud. I hoped to inspire other young women in finance to tackle their dreams head on.”
Frederick’s article, IMA Life: Endless Possibilities, was published in the May 2021 issue. “I wrote a few paragraphs about my wonderful experiences with the IMA and USI. From case study competitions to conferences across the country, I was happy to share how I was able to learn and grow through the many opportunities the organization and my university provided.”
Frederick said the response to her article has been “fantastic” from family, friends, colleagues and even at USI. “The experience showed me that anything is possible, and though I didn’t choose the title of the column, it seems to fit perfectly.”
IMA is the worldwide association of accountants and financial professionals in business, focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession. Members of the student chapter of IMA at USI receive a subscription to the award-winning Strategic Finance Magazine. Inside are profiles of IMA members showcasing their careers and experiences with the IMA and beyond.