{"id":23630,"date":"2026-08-28T17:00:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T16:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/?p=23630"},"modified":"2026-08-28T17:00:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T16:00:47","slug":"a-solid-foundation-for-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/2026\/08\/a-solid-foundation-for-success\/","title":{"rendered":"A solid foundation for success"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"lead\">From a Foundation Year to a First Class Honours in Accounting and Finance BSc  &#8211; and on to a Master&#8217;s in Banking and Finance at King&#8217;s College, London. Indra Davaanyan shares her story. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\" data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">Why did you choose to study Accounting and Finance at the University of Kent?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">&#8220;I think my interest in accounting and finance started from a very young age because my dad was almost like my personal tutor when I was growing up. He noticed that I had an interest in understanding numbers, like his father who was in accounting back home in Mongolia. He encouraged me and helped develop my mathematical skills from an early age.\u00a0 It felt like a subject that I had always enjoyed and was comfortable around.&#8221;<\/div>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">What have been some of the highlights of your time at Kent and Kent Business School?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">&#8220;At Kent Business School, having access to resources such as the Financial terminals during my second year and LSEG Workspace during my final year was a highlight for me, because it was an opportunity to familiarise myself with two major financial platforms alongside my degree. Through those two, I completed several certifications related to finance and ESG, building my practical skills.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">I also really enjoyed campus life in general, even though I lived off campus, I stayed involved in university life over the course of my 4 years by attending societies like Yoga, Formula 1, and Therapeutic Arts.&#8221;<\/div>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">Was there a particular module, lecturer, project or experience that had a significant impact on you?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">&#8220;Dr Abby Hilson, who taught me both Advanced Management Accounting and Assurance &amp; Auditing during my third year, had a really significant impact on me and a lot of peers on my course. She is an incredible lecturer who made both modules engaging, even when there would be a lot of content to cram in one term. She explains concepts really well and is so personable. She strengthened my interest in both accounting and audit.&#8221;<\/div>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">What did achieving a First Class Honours degree mean to you?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">&#8220;It meant a lot. It meant that the time I took to develop my revision and study skills, and spending hours practicing the same exam papers repeatedly, and stressing over my performance in group tasks and essays and exams was worth it. It is incredibly rewarding.&#8221;<\/div>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">How did it feel to graduate at Canterbury Cathedral?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/files\/2026\/08\/Indra-Blog-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-23632 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/files\/2026\/08\/Indra-Blog-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"98\" height=\"155\" \/><\/a>&#8220;Graduating at the cathedral was such a special experience, especially because Canterbury has been my home for so many years. I hadn\u2019t seen the inside of the cathedral once, and neither had my parents, so walking through it in my gown on the day of my graduation with my parents was unforgettable to me.&#8221;<\/div>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">How were you supported through your degree?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/files\/2026\/08\/Indra-Blog-3-png.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-23633 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/files\/2026\/08\/Indra-Blog-3-png.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"165\" height=\"196\" \/><\/a>&#8220;I wouldn\u2019t have reached this point without my support system. My parents and friends were there for me unconditionally when I felt the most stuck or stressed or frustrated, and they were the ones who got me through it and gave me memorable experiences. My lecturers also guided me through some difficult modules and giving me confidence to challenge myself, especially during my final year. They were there to help me and everyone on our course who had any questions, at any time of day, some of them even still up at 4am answering all our emails so we would be prepared. They truly went above and beyond for everyone on my course, which I am so grateful for.&#8221;<\/div>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">What skills from your time at Kent are the most valuable?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">&#8220;The ability to analyse problems, communicate effectively, and manage my time. I think having that combination of academic knowledge and practical experience is valuable, especially for postgraduate study.&#8221;<\/div>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">Tell us about your next steps<\/h2>\n<div role=\"presentation\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">&#8220;I will be studying for a Master&#8217;s in Banking and Finance at King&#8217;s College, which is closely related to my BSc in Accounting and Finance, but will develop my knowledge further and help me specialise more in areas of finance specifically related to banking, investment, and markets. I love the idea of studying in London, which anchors the UK\u2019s financial sector and is surrounded by a strong professional environment.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">I am most excited about experiencing a completely new environment in London, meeting new people and applying my current knowledge from Kent to more advanced topics. I am so excited to start thinking more seriously about my career and gaining experience in the finance industry.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">What are your longer-term career ambitions?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">&#8220;After my Master\u2019s, I would ideally aim to gain professional experience while completing a qualification such as the ACA. Now, I am particularly interested in internal audit and assurance, so long term, I would progress into more senior positions, while also remaining open to exploring other areas of finance related to internal audit.&#8221;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">What will you miss most about the University of Kent?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">&#8220;I will miss the sense of familiarity from my friends and lecturers, and studying under the KBS community. I will miss walking around campus, studying together at Templeman, and miss Canterbury itself.&#8221;<\/div>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">What advice would you give to future students\u00a0 considering Accounting and Finance at Kent?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">&#8220;I always tell myself \u201cwhy not? you only live once\u201d, especially for the opportunities that Kent gives you. Also, my experience from a foundation year to graduating with a First taught me hard work with consistency can make a huge difference to seeing the results you want and fully enjoying studying Accounting and Finance at Kent.&#8221;<\/div>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<h2 role=\"presentation\"><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"x_x_elementToProof\" role=\"presentation\">Is there anything else about your Kent experience or graduation you would to share?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"x_x_elementToProof\">&#8220;I am very grateful for every opportunity Kent has given me and for the people who have supported me along my journey. I have grown so much and I am so excited to take everything I have learnt into this next chapter of my life.&#8221;<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From a Foundation Year to a First Class Honours in Accounting and Finance BSc &#8211; and on to a Master&#8217;s in Banking and Finance at &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/2026\/08\/a-solid-foundation-for-success\/\">Read&nbsp;more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84053,"featured_media":23651,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[124],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23630"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/84053"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23630"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23630\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23650,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23630\/revisions\/23650"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/kbs-news-events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}