Udanda Clark
Ernst & Young
New York, NY USA
"Understand that it is okay to have a dream, but then choose to pursue something that you could have never imagined doing...be open to going beyond your dreams."
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Udanda's work combines: Numbers, Technology, and Working with Others
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Human Biology
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduate Degree
Accounting
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
I grew up in a small town in South Carolina, where a majority of the African-American residents that I was surrounded by were either doctors, educators, or lawyers.
2.
Due to the environment I grew up in, I thought that I wanted to be a doctor and focused my schooling around that.
3.
Attended the University of North Carolina (UNC), where I earned my bachelor’s degree in biology—during my junior year in college, I began to doubt if medicine was the right path for me.
4.
After graduating, I continued on at UNC to receive my master’s degree in accounting through a program specially designed for non-accounting undergraduates.
5.
I still had the goal of becoming a doctor and wanted to combine my CPA understanding with running the business of a medical practice, but I ultimately decided not to pursue that dream.
6.
After receiving my graduate degree, I got a job working as a senior manager at Ernst & Young (EY).
7.
I’ve had the opportunity to work in many different EY offices around the world, including in Atlanta, San Francisco, Chicago, and London.
8.
I am now a partner at EY, where I work mainly in the financial technology sector, helping startups grow their businesses.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I'm never going to be a doctor.
How I responded:
I've had to do a lot of reconciling with myself and accept that my dream of being a doctor might never happen and that I am super happy doing what I do now. I had to accept that even though one dream didn't come true, I'm still doing something amazing that I never even thought I could do.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
Changing my focus in school from medicine to accounting was a big change. My goal was to become a doctor and use my CPA knowledge to inform my medical practice. It didn't pan out that way because I found my interest in accounting grew stronger.
Growing up and in school, I didn't have a lot of exposure to the business world so my business acumen was not great when I was starting out in accounting. I had to find mentors who could help guide me.
Because my background and journey to accounting was different than most, I struggled with self-doubt and feeling like I wasn't competent. I had to learn how to self-promote and advocate for myself in this field.
I've worked in 4 different EY offices including Atlanta and London. Each move, I struggled with thinking I wasn't ready for it. It took the encouragement of others to get me to leap. If I hadn't taken those opportunities I wouldn't be where I am now.
I was primarily raised by my mother who sacrificed a lot for us. During the recession, she lost her job. I lived far away which took a toll on me emotionally because I wanted to be there for her. I ended up moving back in order to support her.
The things I love about my work are also things I struggle with. When I'm doing well at work, it's sometimes hard to put up a barrier between work and personal life. I had to set parameters for myself to ensure I get a mental break.