MORE ABOUT DESISLAVA
Graduation Date: November 2008
Hometown: Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
High School: Math High School, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Campus Involvement:
- Beta Alpha Psi
- International Admissions Student Assistant
Desislava Z. Nikolova
Area of Study:Accountancy
I chose my major because... I love working with numbers, but also I wanted to build on my undergraduate degree in business. I think that accounting is pretty exciting and challenging and very rewarding at the same time. An accounting degree will open many doors for me in just about any type of business or industry, not only in the United States, but also outside its borders.
My favorite thing to do on campus is... to exercise in the Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center. It is time well spent, since it is very energizing and you get to meet new people all the time. I also love attending company presentations on campus. They are a great resource for introducing yourself to employers, networking with practicing business professionals or learning more about a particular firm. DePaul’s Career Center and its professional organizations do a very good job in bringing students and employers together.
I decided to attend DePaul because... of the quality of education and the broad experience and knowledge that professors bring to the classroom. I was also attracted to DePaul’s location in downtown Chicago, in the heart of the city’s business district, and to its excellent reputation among the business community. The career opportunities for DePaul students are a major factor as well and should not be disregarded.
The learning environment here at DePaul is... very challenging and very stimulating. Professors demand a lot, but are always willing to lend a hand and there is always two-way communication. The classes are very engaging with a lot of interaction on the side of students. DePaul offers a truly cooperative environment that allows everyone to thrive.
The class I most enjoyed here was... the advanced accounting class. It is definitely one of the most difficult classes that I have taken so far, but Professor Elizabeth Murphy explains everything in such detail and she is so concerned with her students passing the CPA exam successfully that you feel guilty if you do not devote 100 percent of your efforts.
When I have free time, I like to... go out, explore Chicago and spend time with my friends and my family. There are so many things that you can do in this city and it is possible that even if you go out every day you will always find something exciting and new.
Here, the diversity of students, faculty and staff is... just like one endless encyclopedia that I will never be able to read to the end. It is absolutely great that every day you meet people from all over the world and get to learn so many things about them, their countries, cultures, etc. I guess the world is not that big.
The greatest thing about going to school in Chicago is... the multitude of resources that we have on hand in terms of everything – career opportunities, entertainment, sports, sightseeing, diversity of population, etc. Very often we take them for granted, but they really present an opportunity for everyone to do whatever he or she pleases.
DePaul is the ideal place for international students to pursue an education because... The most important factors that determined my decision to attend DePaul include the diverse student body, the university’s location in one of the biggest cities in the United States where there are plenty of opportunities for career development, and because of Chicago as the shelter for so many representative communities, one of which is the Bulgarian population.
One thing I'd like to tell international students considering attending DePaul is that... DePaul is a great place and you should have no doubt that once you come here anything is possible. It is up to you to use the resources on hand to the maximum.
After graduation, I plan to... work for one of the Big Four firms for several years. Later on, I plan to transfer to my firm's office in my home country, Bulgaria, to concentrate my efforts on helping Bulgarian businesses flourish.
The one thing I’d like to say to students considering DePaul... come and see everything yourself. And when you become part of DePaul, make sure that you take every single opportunity you get to explore the school, the student body and faculty, and learn as much as you can from them.
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