鈥楿nstoppable determination鈥� lands accounting student job at top firm

KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 30, 2021

Taron Ragan has faced more than his share of tragedy in his life, but the senior major never let those circumstances stand in his way of working toward his bachelor鈥檚 degree at Kennesaw State. Ragan, who will graduate in May, already has a full-time job in hand with Deloitte, a leading national accounting firm, as an audit associate.

Getting that job offer took perseverance and determination, he said. Ragan was involved with the in the and secured three internships during college, but behind his success, he suffered the tragic loss of his younger brother and experienced homelessness while at 石榴直播.

His relentless pursuit to earn a college degree 鈥� and become the first in his family to do so 鈥� kept him focused, he explained. Raised by a single mother in Fort Valley, Georgia, his family often lacked basic necessities, and when he was 12 years old, his father died from gun violence.

鈥淚 never say I went through hardships. I always say I overcame challenges, because it made me better,鈥� Ragan said.

He looks back on his first semester at 石榴直播, having only one pair of black pants and one pair of black shoes, and interchanging shirts for a new look each day. He said he didn鈥檛 know if his classmates recognized he was wearing the same pair of pants and shoes each day, but those were the 鈥渋nspiration for me to keep going and build my foundation at 石榴直播.鈥�

Before he stepped foot on Kennesaw State鈥檚 campus, Ragan said he was impressed with the reputable academic programs. In high school, the young entrepreneur refurbished old shoes and resold them, and soon took a serious interest in business.

鈥淭his is one of the greatest decisions of my life,鈥� Ragan said about choosing Kennesaw State.

Learning through Loss

In his second semester, however, Ragan learned that his younger brother, diagnosed with cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus from birth, sustained complications that resulted in irreparable brain damage.

Ragan, the oldest of five siblings, drove to Children鈥檚 Healthcare of Atlanta every day after class to be at his brother鈥檚 side and support his family for an entire semester. While his professors encouraged him to take a break from school, Ragan said he was persistent about staying.

Things didn鈥檛 get easier for Ragan, who supported himself financially. His hours were cut at his job and he moved in with his mother to save money and help care for his brother at home. He commuted nearly 90 minutes one way to 石榴直播 each day, but a car accident left him without transportation.

Ragan slept on friends鈥� couches, or, on the days he had nowhere to stay, in his wrecked vehicle that sat inoperative in a parking deck close to campus.

鈥淚t鈥檚 at these low moments that we find out who we really are,鈥� said Ragan, who later lost his brother in 2019. 鈥淎dversity will introduce you to yourself.鈥�

Tenacious Endurance

Committed to pushing himself both academically and professionally, Ragan soon landed a full-time job and attended his 石榴直播 classes at night. He saved his earnings to sign an apartment lease and purchase a vehicle.

鈥淚 networked constantly to build relationships that could open the doors for new employment,鈥� he said, adding that his network skills piqued when he was homeless and needed to find friends.

Struggling, Ragan took advice from a Coles professor and selected accounting as his major, explaining that the discipline, which the professor called the 鈥渓anguage of business,鈥� fit him perfectly. He became involved with the and today serves as a student mentor.

Over the past 18 months, Ragan secured three accounting internships with companies such as Tidwell Group, UPS and Norfolk Southern and has completed one each semester. He was also invited to share his personal journey with more than 250 UPS employees during his internship and more than 125 people at the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Atlanta Chapter鈥檚 mentoring meeting last summer.

Bill Mulcahy, founding chairman of 石榴直播鈥檚 Internal Audit Center Advisory Board, said he was impressed by Ragan after hearing him give the talk at UPS. Mulcahy then recommended Ragan to colleagues at Deloitte, and noted that it often takes personal endorsements to get a student鈥檚 resume to the top.

鈥淗e is a great communicator, and I'm proud of his progress,鈥� said Mulcahy, who serves as Ragan鈥檚 mentor. 鈥淚 believe the best is yet to come from Taron.鈥�

Professors also have been impressed by the 24-year old鈥檚 endurance and commitment.

鈥淭aron showed me how important one鈥檚 mindset is in overcoming adversities in life,鈥� said Fred Masci, a part-time instructor of accounting. 鈥淗e could not change where he started, but he could change his ending.鈥�

Ragan plans to study for the CPA exam this summer after graduation, and he鈥檚 already working on his first book. In addition, he has also been invited back to speak to the IIA Atlanta Chapter to speak on his new book later this spring.

Ragan said that he hopes to teach others that anything is possible, no matter the circumstances.

鈥淚 was not going to give up on this thing that I knew would change my life and many others around me. It was bigger than me, and it always has been,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 had this unstoppable determination and I couldn鈥檛 give up.鈥�

鈥� Tiffany Capuano and Bianca Isom

Photos by David Caselli

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