Following the numbers

By Sedonia Martin on May 17, 2018

Ashena Sparrow has a beautiful smile and loves to laugh, qualities that have helped her navigate the last four years as a full-time employee and a full-time student.

Sparrow graduates with a degree in accounting from the College of Business and Economics, Friday, May 25, at 10 a.m.

She joined TU more than five years ago as the administrative assistant II in the Department of Art + Design, Art History, Art Education. A year later she began pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

Keep in mind, this dynamo is also a single mom who is raising two teenage daughters. They attend different schools but Sparrow has managed to be PTA president of both. She is also a field trip chaperone, Girl Scout leader, Girl Scout service area manager, who trains other leaders, and a commencement volunteer.  She even managed to move across town in the midst of this hectic schedule.

Sparrow believes her drive, focus and time management has rubbed off on her daughters, Kennedy, 13, and Timiia, 15. 

“We maintain a Google calendar,” she says laughing, a time management skill her girls have also mastered.

“I’ve shown my girls the value of education and sacrifice. I sleep with my books if I have to,” Sparrow said. The lesson is not lost on her daughters, who have grown along with her.  

“We study together; do homework together,” she explained. “I’ve brought them to school during my night classes. They’ve sat in the hallway doing their homework.” 

She credits her family, friends, her daughters’ teachers and the Department of Art for their support. “The department has been extremely supportive,” added Sparrow. “It takes a village.”

And while Sparrow admits “it’s been hard and rough from time to time, I made it.”

She also credits her uncle, the CFO of MECU, who advised her to switch her major from math to accounting, which provided the personal interaction she enjoys. Sparrow said she didn’t want to “sit in a box and crunch numbers all day.”

Sparrow loves people and is interested in client and peer interaction. “Accounting, I think, is perfect for me. Being able to do taxes, audit, plan financials, that’s a perk,” she said laughing.

She’s proud of CBE’s accounting program. “When you come out of Towson you’re going to know accounting,” she said, a sentiment echoed by staff she’s met in accounting firms who are eager to hire TU graduates.

But accounting firms want more than just number crunchers. “They want to know, can we talk with you in the office, go to dinner with you, and would we enjoy communicating with you,” Sparrow said. “I’ve got that edge—I love talking to people.”

She’s been interviewing for a position and is honing in on an opportunity. Her dream is to become a forensic accountant. Sparrow will take the financial portion of the CPA exam in August and finish the remainder within 18 months.

She is celebrating commencement with her family and friends from around the country before she embarks on her new journey.