CWU Accounting grad follows his heart to the Ivy League

Editor's note: This story appears in the latest edition of Voyage Magazine, produced by the CWU College of Business.

When Matthew Braganza arrived at Central Washington University in the fall of 2019, all he knew was that he wanted to study "business."

He tried a little bit of everything-business administration, finance, pre-med, and supply chain management-but nothing seemed to click until he took a financial accounting class. Braganza's professors opened his eyes to the many upsides of becoming a CPA, setting him on the path to graduate school.

But he's not going to any old grad school. Braganza is on his way to Cornell University this fall to pursue a master's in accounting.

"I saw an ad online and decided that was the program I was looking for," he said of the Ivy League school in Ithaca, New York. "People always say to apply for everything, so I spent a couple months working on my statement of purpose, and they accepted me."

Cornell sweetened the pot by offering Braganza a scholarship for half-tuition, but it was enough to convince him to travel east for his next adventure.

"Cornell was my first choice, and when they made such a generous offer, I knew I had to go," Braganza said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and my family and I are going to find a way to make it work."

The first-generation graduate student from Yakima plans to work so he can afford the higher cost of living in New York, along with the other half of his tuition. But he's not worried. On the advice of his parents, he followed his heart.

"My mom moved here from the Philippines when she was 23 with only a nursing degree and $200," he said. "This opportunity feels eerily similar. And just like her, all I have is my education."

CWU professors Ryan Cahalan, Jenny Cravens, and Nancy Pigeon also helped Braganza arrive at his decision to move across the country instead of staying closer to home at the UW or University of Oregon, his other top choices.

Not all students are cut out to work their way through grad school while taking on hefty student loans. But if anyone is up to the challenge, it's Braganza.

"There are some students who I would tell not to go, but Matthew's circumstances are different," said Pigeon, CWU professor of business law and sports law. "He is creative and he'll find ways to make money over there-maybe an undergraduate teaching position. I believe he can do anything he sets his mind to."

So far, he has.

Aside from getting into Cornell, Braganza has served as an intern at Moss Adams in Seattle for the past two summers. He also has been instrumental in helping CWU revive its campus tour team as the lead student ambassador. As if he needed more to do, he manages and plays in the local band Tinted Red, which does regular gigs on campus, at Old Skool's, and a handful of Ellensburg bars.

Braganza's colorful life experiences caught the eye of Cornell's admissions team.

"There was a video interview portion where I got to tell them more about myself," he said. "Music has always been a big part of my life, and I love to talk about those experiences. I think my passion really came through."

Braganza played the saxophone during his youth and was all set to become a section leader in the CWU band when the pandemic shut everything down. He used his down time to learn the piano, sharpen his guitar skills, and work on his backup vocals.

"I just love being creative-that's the biggest thing for me," he said. "I also love to bring people together, and this band has helped me do that. We're like a family, and it's going to be tough to leave that behind."

As difficult as it's going to be to leave Central Washington, Braganza is keeping his eye on the prize. He plans to return to the Northwest someday, but the allure of New York may be difficult to ignore once he holds a master's degree and a CPA license.

"I still don't know what I want to do, so I feel like I should stay in New York for a few years after I graduate," he said. "But I'm a West Coast guy at heart, and I have always wanted to live in Seattle. Until a few months ago, I didn't even know New York was going to be a possibility. I just want to take time to figure everything out."

If his financial accounting career doesn't materialize, Braganza can always fall back on his CWU sports business background and find work as an industry accountant for a professional sports franchise.

"Maybe someday I will get to live out my middle school dreams," he quipped.

No matter which path Braganza chooses, he is likely to excel. Pigeon believes his engaging personality will carry him even further than his intelligence, ingenuity, and work ethic.

"Matthew possesses a level of intelligence that's more than just book sense," she said. "He is a good person and a good citizen, and I expect him to shine no matter where he ends up. He's going to be successful in a lot of different venues because he is nice and he is approachable. But, most of all, he's fun. He's going to find a lot of people who want to work with him."