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Faculty Spotlight: Marjorie Yuschak - CMA

marj-yuschak-cma

Marjorie Yuschak has been teaching Villanova University’s Certified Management Accountant non-credit program since 2010. After earning a bachelor’s in accounting from Rutgers University and an MBA in pharmaceutical marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson, Yuschak spent more than 20 years at Johnson and Johnson (J&J) developing expertise in cost/managerial accounting, financial reporting, and employee stock option programs. Early on in Yuschak’s career, J&J’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) was instrumental in helping develop the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) credential. He encouraged all of his accountants, including Yuschak, to earn the CMA because he saw significant value in the credential and wanted his employees to gain the benefit and build their skillsets.

Similar to her former CFO at J&J, Yuschak has always seen herself as a coach who can assist in helping people reach their goals. Through teaching Villanova’s CMA program, she has an opportunity to do just that. Yuschak says, “Teaching is a lot of fun for me. I love sharing the vast experience I’ve gained in my lifetime because those real-world experiences are sometimes the best ways to learn. Imparting knowledge and seeing the light bulb go off in my students is so rewarding.”

When people think of accounting credentials, most immediately think of a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Deciding between the two credentials comes down to what your desired career path is. Both credentials are extremely valuable and both result in higher salaries versus those without certifications. To boil it down very simply, CMA’s are managers and strategic decision makers at the leadership level within a company whereas CPA’s are highly focused on auditing, reporting and regulation, and taxes, and may also be at the leadership level. “As a CMA, you have to take all of your accounting knowledge and apply it to making a business decision that allows your company to reach its goals. It’s combining the accounting expertise with strategic decision making skills that makes CMA credential holders so valuable.”

In keeping with her desire to coach people to be successful, Yuschak is also a content contributor to the 2018 Edition of the Wiley CMAexcel Learning System (WCMALS). Learn more about the CMA program at Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies.