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Thomas Monckton Hometown: Newtown, Conn. Major: Financial Accounting WCSU Degree: BBA in Financial Accounting Internships: Co-ops at IBM in 2009 and 2012 Activities: Treasurer of the Accounting Society (4/11 to 7/12), |
Honors and Awards: Dean's List every semester,
Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award (2013),
Barbara Winder Award for Creative Writing (2009),
Anthony W. Cirone Accounting Leadership Award (2011),
Connecticut Society of CPA's Junior Award (2010),
U.S Army Combat Infantryman's Badge,
Overall GPA 3.94, GPA in Major 4.0
When Thomas Monckton was 17 and had not yet finished high school, he enlisted with the Connecticut Army National Guard. Upon graduation from Newtown High School, he attended basic training and served in Afghanistan for a year. When he returned home, Monckton applied at Western. "Mainly because it is my local university and many of my friends went here," he says.
Monckton attended WCSU from fall 2007 to fall 2012 — taking a three-semester leave of absence to go on his second deployment to Afghanistan with the Connecticut Army National Guard. He was a member of the guard from 2003 to 2011.
When considering his major, Monckton says, "I was always good with numbers and accounting came naturally to me."
Monckton says Western's accounting faculty, including Richard Proctor, Jim Donegan, Michele Ganon, Thomas Monks, Duane Moser and Brigid Schaffer, were "amazing accounting professors. I would say they all mentored me in one way or another."
Asked what he will remember most about his Western experience, Monckton says, "Going to see the Dalai Lama last semester; it was definitely an insightful experience."
Monckton will attend Fordham University's M.A. in Economics program this fall. He has a few other items on his to-do list, too. "I plan on passing the CPA exam within the next couple years and I will most likely be at IBM for the foreseeable future."
Monckton’s advice to new students entering WCSU is: "It doesn't matter whether or not the student next to you is smarter, you just need to try harder. The amount of effort you put into school will be paid back to you when you find a career."
