Angela Hughes, Class of 2015, Watertown, CT

What are you up to? I have always told myself that everyone embarks on his or her own journey through life and develops an unforgettable story. So here is mine - I am officially beginning my new career as a Tax Accountant for Crowe, LLP in October of 2019. Since graduating high school, everything has been so different than what I had expected. As of December 2018, I have obtained a Bachelors in Accounting, Business Administration, and a Certification in Forensic Accounting from Post University in Waterbury, CT. 

Aside from my career journey, I have been a dedicated dance teacher for 8 years as an Associate Teacher and Choreographer at Powerhouse Dance Academy. I also run my own food page (Homemade For You) on Facebook & Instagram for recipes, pictures, and more!

How'd you get here? To me, moments are not bought, they are earned. At the heart of every moment is the effort you have put in to make it real. Every moment of my college career thus far has contributed to the business woman I am aspiring to be. 

On a late night in 2015, right after graduating high school, my mom and I found ourselves struggling to get out of our burning home due to someone’s reckless actions. Shortly after this tragedy, I began my college journey at UCONN. After my first semester, I was at a point where I was struggling in my personal life while also being unhappy at my university and in my field of study. I thought to myself that I needed to reevaluate my goals and make a change so I could find my passion in life. 

I don’t have a simple answer as to why I want to be an accountant. Ever since I can remember, I aspired to be a 4th grade Mathematics teacher and never thought twice about it. Dance was always my passion, therefore I thought because I enjoyed teaching dance that I would want to do it every day. My dad somehow always found a way to incorporate “I’m telling you, try accounting, I think you’re really going to like it” into our daily dinner conversations, but I never listened. When I started college as a pre-teaching major at UCONN in 2015, I decided to reevaluate my goals and make a change. I wanted to separate my career from my passion of dance and cooking because they were things that I did in my spare time and have an amazing time doing. One aspect of my journey that has constantly motivated me to never give up is my mom and dad. The bond that my parents and I have created has shown me the true definition of selflessness and passion. Growing up, I was taught if you want something, you need to work hard for it and eventually everything will pay off in the end. So that is what I did when I transferred to Post University, I didn’t give up.

What are your goals? My goal is to get the most of every chance I am given to help someone else. It isn’t about how much you keep for yourself, but how much you pour into others. My ambition in life, after much thought and consideration, is to become someone that I am proud of. As an accounting major, I am an aspiring Certified Public Accountant. But, there are a lot of other goals that I hope to accomplish in life, and think that one should never limit themselves. Having a family to build memories with, creating a successful food business, being a proud dance teacher, and growing as an accountant are all moments I hope to experience.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? If I could tell my high school self one thing, it would have to be that there is no direct route to your future. Consider yourself to have an imagined future that is filled with some moments that are currently unknown, some that might be unexpected. But, at the end of the day, they will shape who you are and what you can share with the world. There is not one moment that defines you, but a bunch of little ones that make you special and successful.