PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – In 2017, Ashley Salinas ’22 was working at the Internal Revenue Service in Houston when a workforce reduction, followed by Hurricane Harvey, led her to contemplate her future. It ultimately prompted her decision to go back to school. “I was doing this not only for myself but for my great-grandmother, my parents and my uncle,” Salinas said.
“I set foot on the Prairie View A&M University campus for the first time on January 9, 2018—a date I will always remember. From that day, I have felt a part of the University,” she said.
And Salinas has left her mark. She graduates this spring with her Master of Science in Accounting after graduating cum laude last year with two degrees, her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance.
“During my tenure as a student at PVAMU, I have both learned and grown as a professional,” she said. “I would love to sincerely and wholeheartedly thank all of the faculty and staff who have guided me on my successful educational journey.”
Among Salinas’ accomplishments are induction into Beta Gamma Sigma, the International Honor Society of Business, and the Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society Alpha Pi Mu Chapter at PVAMU, where she held leadership roles. She also served as vice president and president of the Hispanic Business Student Association and as an officer in the National Association of Black Accountants Student Organization.
Salinas helped start the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Student Organization at PVAMU and served as the group’s inaugural president.
She also served as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance tax preparer; represented the College of Business at prospective students and new student events; four business case competitions and numerous conferences; Homecoming; and the inaugural Prairie View Summer Banking Academy. And, she was a member of the first cohort of students from PVAMU to receive the Commercial Banking Commercial Lending Certification from the American Banking Association.
Salinas interned at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and twice with the “Big Four” accounting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers. She served as a campus ambassador for PwC, as well as for JPMorgan Chase and Becker CPA Exam Preparation. She was also the sole PVAMU mentee in the Excel with Dell Mentorship program.
“I am beyond grateful for all the experiences and opportunities that were provided to me during my time as a student at PVAMU,” Salinas said.
Upon graduation, Salinas begins her journey as a tax associate at PwC.
“As my great grandmother used to say, ‘As long as you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything and everything you desire—the sky is the limit.’”
Click here to view a complete listing of this semester’s notable graduates.
-PVAMU-