A Rutgers School of Business–Camden graduate gained a new perspective while completing his master's degree in accountancy.
For nearly two decades, Gabriel “Gabe” Minasian built a successful career in accounting, rising through the ranks of top firms and Fortune 500 companies. Despite his success, however, he felt there was more to accomplish professionally and personally.
“I had the title, the responsibility, the success,” said Minasian. “But I realized I wasn’t leading myself with authenticity. Instead, I was chasing validation.”
Minasian will be graduating with honors this May from Rutgers School of Business–Camden with a Master of Accountancy. During his time at at Rutgers–Camden, he also completed a certificate in accounting analytics, was recognized as a Rutgers–Camden Raptor Rising Star, and was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society.
Returning to college in midlife and finishing at the top of his class was not something his younger self could have ever imagined. Minasian, whose parents immigrated to the United States from South America, was a first-generation college student and his path to professional success wasn’t always clear.
“High school came easily to me, but college was a wake-up call,” he said. “I juggled three jobs to pay for school, took on too much, and barely slept. I didn’t finish at the top of my class, but I never gave up.”
After earning undergraduate degrees in Spanish and accounting, Minasian entered the professional world quickly climbing the corporate ladder working for consulting firms like Deloitte and large corporations like Bristol Meyers Squibb and AIG.
Currently, he is the managing director of global accounting for Omnicom Group, a global marketing and communications company operating in over 100 countries and earning more than $15 billion in revenue.
Despite his professional success, however, Minasian still looked back on his early years at college and felt like he still had more to accomplish.
“I kept thinking back to those early college years,” said Minasian. “I had more to prove to myself and I wanted to show my daughter that learning isn’t just something you do when you're young—it’s something that shapes who you become.”
He chose to pursue a graduate degree in accounting at Rutgers School of Business–Camden after speaking with Edward Werner, associate professor and director of the school's Ragone Center for Accounting Excellence, sharing the challenges he faced as an undergraduate.
"I was very upfront with him and shared my concerns about returning to school,” said Minasian. “He was incredibly supportive. He welcomed me, encouraged me, and made it clear that I belonged. That moment affirmed everything.”
Now, two years later, Minasian recognizes that returning to school was one of the best decisions he ever made. From the very start of his time at Rutgers–Camden, he gained practical skills that he could use right away in his day-to-day work, as well as a more profound knowledge of the theory and practice of accountancy. He also developed friendships that go beyond the classroom, which he knows will continue even after he graduates.
More than anything else, however, Minasian has a renewed focus on his ability to tackle new things and feels empowered to rise to whatever challenge he may face.
“Rutgers–Camden reignited something in me,” said Minasian. “I came here for a degree, but I’m leaving with a mission. I’m a lifelong learner now. Whether it’s my CPA license next and a law degree or a doctorate in accounting, I want to keep going—and keep showing my daughter that it’s never too late to grow.”
