Accounting Alumnus Malaki Davis is an Internal Revenue Agent

Meet Malaki Davis '20

Job Title & Employer: Internal Revenue Agent, Internal Revenue Service
Major/Program: Accounting
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
High School: City Charter High School
Now Living In: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Hobbies & Interests: Writing poetry

"I really enjoyed the Point Park campus environment. I liked the small, interactive classes and learning from professors who have experience working in the industry. It is a great school filled with prestigious faculty and a talented student body. Point Park gives you opportunities."

Malaki Davis '20

Your journey with Point Park started in high school with the Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP). Describe that experience.

I was always interested in the idea of accounting, but until ACAP, I wasn’t sure exactly what career options it offered. I like to learn new things and expand my knowledge, and ACAP taught me the main function of accounting is to keep track of financial information, review it and report it. There are so many options and career paths you can pursue with accounting, and you can move anywhere with it.

I also loved the experience of going to the University. It introduced me to what to look forward to in college and what an accounting career can look like. After that, I went into my senior year and had the chance to take Accounting 101 through Point Park's College Now program. That's when I knew I would enjoy taking classes as a college student. At Point Park, the classes are small and you can build personal relationships with faculty and students.

You took the inaugural Accounting 295: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) course, through which you helped low-income citizens file their income tax returns. What did you learn from that hands-on experience?

I was able to apply my classroom knowledge to help people, which was very rewarding. As I prepared tax returns, I also learned how to build relationships with the taxpayers. The biggest benefit was learning how to work effectively with people from all walks of life in a real-time environment. At the end of the semester, I volunteered to assist the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) in putting VITA online so taxes could get filed during the pandemic. Because of my work with VITA, the DHS later recommended me for my position with the IRS in Downtown Pittsburgh.

What did you like about the accounting program?

Most of the accounting classes were small, so it was heavily interactive with the professors and very hands-on. I got to interact with students and professors more than I probably would have at another university. I also learned so much from the professors because most of them came from working in the field. That helped me build out my accounting skills and see prime examples of what it’s like in the industry.

Point Park professors make connections in class with their real-world experience. I loved Professor Jayne Olshanski's class. I liked Professor Richard Neisch's auditing class. I loved his approach to it. Most of his lessons are coming back to me at my job now as I apply them to the work I'm doing at the IRS. The faculty was constantly there to help me prepare for my profession and were willing to build strong relationships with me.

Point Park helped me develop my worth ethic. I am able to function in different work environments, whether I am working independently or in a group.

You were recently hired by the IRS as an internal revenue agent. What work do you do there?

I am auditing tax returns. I like it because I was always interested in auditing. Most of my experience is in taxes. My current position combines both and allows me great flexibility when it comes to scheduling. It is just a perfect fit for me. Soon I'll start my training to get one-on-one experience with taxpayers. I'm really looking forward to that.

Why would you recommend Point Park to a prospective student?

I really enjoyed the Point Park campus environment. I liked the small, interactive classes and learning from professors who have experience working in the industry. It is a great school filled with prestigious faculty and a talented student body. Point Park gives you opportunities.