As a seven-time entrepreneur and soon-to-be certified public accountant (CPA), Maggie Dykzeul is not a conventional student in Boise State University’s online Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA).
“I did things a little backwards where I had my credentials to sit for the CPA exam first, then went back for my master’s degree,” she said. “It was more of a personal life goal to achieve.
“With who I am as an individual, education is very important and highly valued. I have really enjoyed the master’s program.”
Dykzeul also has plenty on her plate outside of school as she works toward an August 2026 graduation date. She is a tax associate at SRA 831(b) Admin in Eagle, Idaho, and a member of the Boise Impact Group board of directors.
“This program gave me a lot of the flexibility that I needed,” she said. “I am already at a higher career level. Having the flexibility that I needed to build into my time consistently with my schedule was the only way I was realistically going to be able to achieve my goals.”
Dykzeul and her husband, Nick, also have three children — Jayne (15), Arwen (13) and Freya (9). Balancing school with a busy work and home life has been key to her success in the online MSA program.
“The online format has been wonderful,” she said. “Generally, because I am in tax, as well, I have handled this program while working between 60 and 80 hours per week.”
Valuable investment
After growing up in Tracy, California, Dykzeul ran her own businesses for 20 years before transitioning into tax. She graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Western Governors University in 2023.
“I was enjoying really getting a deeper dive into businesses and operations,” she said. “I realized that I had quite the head for that. It’s opened a whole other level of being able to fix businesses. I’ve been there. I’ve walked through a lot of their struggles.
“Being able to understand it from a tax perspective has been a unique position. I realized I liked working inside the businesses, not necessarily the design aspect, but how are the mechanics functioning? Is this business sustainable? What’s their growth model? I was able to touch all aspects.”
So far, Tax Research is Dykzeul’s favorite — and most applicable — course in the online MSA curriculum.
“I liked the analytical aspect,” she said. “It brought in my practitioner perspective in research and being able to stand behind your work. That class opened up a lot of perspectives and brought a different analysis. I have used that skill set every day.
“I use everything I learned. It’s all applicable. Besides tax, I do a lot of advisory work. The Boise Impact Group is an organization focused on helping Idaho business owners grow in scale through education and mentorship. I have been able to use all of my skill set there, whether it’s through tax or generalized accounting from Boise State.”
As an added bonus to becoming the first person in her immediate family to earn a master’s degree, Dykzeul has seen a difference in the schoolwork habits of her children since she enrolled in August 2025.
“The words that have come out of their mouths and the transformation that I’ve seen with them, pushing themselves to do things, since I started the program, has probably been one of the highlights of my life,” she said.
Quality education
Although the finish line is in sight for the master’s program, Dykzeul isn’t finished with higher education.
“After I take a year off, I will be going to do a doctorate in business administration at Texas State University,” she said. “The master’s degree is the bridge I needed to get to the doctorate level.”
Dykzeul credits her husband and children with providing a strong support system for her throughout her return to college.
“They know it’s been a long-term goal, and I have other goals,” she said. “I wouldn’t have been able to get through this without the support of my husband and my family.”
Once she has a doctoral degree under her belt, Dykzeul plans to keep her career options wide open.
“I’m not sure I am ever going to know what I want to be when I grow up,” she said. “I am very interested in corporate governance and how the financials relate to an organization, and how that comes through with employee mechanics and treating people.
“You have to have the underlying emotional concept of your business to move it forward. I am a strong advocate for entrepreneurship with small businesses. I see that developing together and creating some type of middle ground for businesses that need scalability, but aren’t at a high level of corporate development.”
Dykzeul plans to walk at graduation in December 2026 to celebrate her big accomplishment. Her family is from Denmark, where her dad earned a college degree. She is happy with the decision to achieve her lifelong goal of earning a master’s through Boise State.
“I would tell anyone considering this program that they can do it,” she said. “Find your system, find your network. It’s hard work and a lot of dedication.
“It’s more mentally taxing than anything, but it’s doable. The support systems are there. Everyone is rooting for you along the way. I am 100% glad I was able to take this on. It’s been a great experience.”
Learn more about the Online MSA
Earning an Online Master of Science in Accountancy from Boise State University can open doors to new opportunities and a brighter future — and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring if an online degree is right for you or need help transferring credits, connecting with a student success coach is the perfect first step.
Ready to learn more? Attend one of our online information sessions or contact a student success coach today.