By Eliana Chow
The son of accountants who worked for government and non-profit organizations, Andre Little (BS ’07, MAC ’22, MBA ’23) carries on a proud legacy of public service. “I come from a family that instills in me the desire to always put others first,” he says. “Wherever we serve, in whatever capacity, our purpose is to help our communities thrive.”
To NC State and Back Again
With nearly 15 years of auditing, managerial and system testing experience in North Carolina’s Department of Revenue (NCDOR) on his resumé, the Durham native is no stranger to leading breakthrough change for public good. In 2015, Little was an integral part of the team that developed and launched the state’s electronic filing system for business tax returns. He has also served as a mentor for younger accountants, empowering them to achieve their professional goals within the Department.
Despite his many achievements, Little is always looking for new opportunities to grow, both personally and professionally. Ever since he earned a bachelor’s degree from NC State in 2007, he knew graduate school would be in the cards for him, but he wanted to ground himself in industry experience before taking the leap.
When Little landed his current role as an audit manager and began supervising other audit leaders in his division, the timing seemed right to return to his alma mater and pursue a dual MBA/MAC degree. The program’s remote option was particularly appealing, he says, because it would provide him with enough flexibility to balance his studies with a full-time job while raising his three-year-old daughter, Samantha.
A New Way of Learning
Little notes that at his stage of life, coursework becomes less about earning good grades and more about acquiring and applying knowledge to better connect with the people he works with on a regular basis. In alignment with NC State’s “Think and Do” mentality, he draws motivation from the results he sees when he applies theoretical constructs from his courses to his ongoing work at NCDOR. “In a large agency like NCDOR, auditors like myself often collaborate across disciplines and areas of expertise,” he shares. “Working through my MBA and MAC coursework at NC State is preparing me to better understand each person’s role in the Department as I strive toward an executive leadership position.”
Deeper Impact
As he continues the dual MBA/MAC program this fall, Little is eager to take advantage of all the career management and professional development opportunities available at the Poole College of Management, in addition to the more technical sides of his coursework. He’s noticed how many of the concepts he engages with in NC State’s academic sphere have positively impacted him at home and in the office.
Recently, for example, through the Master of Accounting (MAC) program, he attended a panel of public accountants who spoke about their efforts to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion values in their respective firms. Little was grateful for the opportunity to hear people who looked like him share experiences that resonated deeply. Their stories also prompted fruitful conversations at home with his wife, Susan, who encounters similar challenges in her own career within the public school system. “It’s worth noting that I never would have enrolled in the MBA/MAC program without her blessing, since the rigorous academic course load requires a significant amount of my time,” he acknowledges. “I enjoy these moments when we can discuss what we’re learning and spur one another on toward mutual growth.”
Toward a Brighter Future
Throughout his time at NC State, Little’s family has remained his biggest inspiration and support. His grandmother was a college graduate, a rare achievement for Black women at the time, he says. “Her perseverance and sacrifice paved the way for my parents who, in turn, did everything in their power to give me the tools and opportunities I needed to succeed,” he says. “I want to do the same for my daughter. Everything I do at work, at home and at NC State is in honor of those who came before me and to build a better world for those who come after me.”
