More than Just the Numbers – Ella Osuzoka

Emmanuella “Ella” Osuzoka ’23 has wanted to study accounting since the ninth grade, but what brought her to Houghton University’s Accounting major has more to do with two unexpected factors: the city of London and a snowstorm.

“When I came over for the Honors in London interview weekend, everything just worked out perfectly,” Osuzoka shared. “There was a snowstorm that weekend. I guess it worked out for the better because that meant my dad and I were stuck in Houghton for two extra days, so I really got to have the full experience of what life would be like here. I just fell in love with the people.”

People have continued to be what has drawn Osuzoka even further into the Accounting Major at Houghton. Elianna McHenry ’18 MBA ’20, an Assistant Professor in Houghton’s Business program, has been the essential highlight for Osuzoka with the way she brings her classroom to life, including a final exam centered around the game of Monopoly.

Osuzoka shared that, after a visitor from KPMG (Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler) came into one of her Houghton classrooms, she leapt at an opportunity to work for Deloitte. KPMG and Deloitte are two of the “Big Four” accounting firms that spread their services to over 150 countries worldwide. Osuzoka was able to use the insights gained from people like McHenry at Houghton to participate in an internship with Deloitte this past summer. She believes Houghton has had a profound impact on her work there.

“Before Houghton, I had never done any group projects,” Osuzoka said. “So it was really good getting that experience and then spending this past summer working with new people to do research and present it in front of professionals.”

The networking Osuzoka was able to do at Deloitte led her to solidify her post-graduation goals. She intends to earn her Master of Accounting degree and prepare to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam. “I’m excited to intern with Deloitte again and apply the knowledge I’ve learned,” Osuzoka stated, “and continue to make my parents proud, by the grace of God!”