Degree Opens Doors
Being a bridge between finance and IT
Imelda Scott came to the United States in 1999 as part of a student exchange program, working as an au pair as she learned to speak English. A career opportunity prompted her to stay. The North American Free Trade Agreement had resulted in an increasing number of American companies looking for bilingual professionals. Scott knew that being fluent in English would give her an advantage. Her original intention was to eventually return to Mexico to work as a certified public accountant.
“While living in the United States, I became interested in pursuing an advanced degree,” says Scott, who chose to enroll in Walsh’s Master of Science in Information Technology program. “As an accountant, getting a degree in IT helped me be a liaison between finance and IT. As a student Walsh, Scott was recruited by General Motors for an internship. She was hired after graduation, and the company sponsored her work visa.
“Having a degree from Walsh opened the door to corporate America,” says Scott. Working at GM for nearly 17 years, Scott’s roles included project manager supporting system implementations and new business development in Mexico and the Philippines. She also worked in South America as an assistant director leading the Financial Shared Service Center. Most recently, she worked for Yanfeng Automotive Interiors as the director of accounting. Today, Scott is the director of finance at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital.
“By having degrees in both finance and IT, the advantage I brought is that I can understand the business requirements and help translate that into technical requirements,” says Scott. “I have great communication with my IT counterparts to make sure the business requirements are understood and implemented. It’s filling a gap.”
As Scott progressed in her career, she was often approached by others seeking advice, especially members of the Hispanic community. Scott has mentored professionals throughout her career. She volunteers to help high school and college students through an organization called the Michigan Hispanic Collaborative, and serves as a resource for Walsh programs.
“Throughout my career, I’ve had great mentors who have shared their perspective, experiences and advice,” she says. “Giving back and helping others, whether it’s through offering advice to a colleague or helping a student who wants to get into the accounting field, gives me an opportunity to broaden someone’s view. I truly enjoy mentoring and connecting with people; it is one of my passions – whether giving advice or acting as a sounding board to empower the younger generations.”
Scott credits the support she gets at home as enabling her to be successful. “I’m a working mother with two teenagers,” she says. “My husband has been a great supporter. Working mothers can accomplish goals – professional and family – when we have the right support at home.”
