From Internship to Senior Manager

When Diamond Lipscomb Bertil ’11 transferred to West Chester University as a sophomore, she had no idea how much the switch would impact the rest of her life. She arrived on campus intending to pursue marketing and perhaps double major in English or anthropology.

It was a meeting with her advisor that led her down a different path. Bertil had done well in an accounting class, a prerequisite for marketing. Her advisor nudged her to consider accounting as a potential career.

She took more classes and enjoyed them. Joining WCU’s chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) led her to an internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), an assurance, tax, and advisory firm with offices around the world, where she still works to this day as a senior manager.

She focuses on auditing, which she credits to a class with WCU Professor Lori Fuller, now chair of the Department of Accounting. “She helped me figure out that I wanted to pursue auditing,” Bertil said. “To this day, it’s one of my core skills with PwC.”

Beyond the College of Business and Public Management, Bertil found a profound sense of community from the Dowdy Multicultural Center, then called the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA). Among many other things, it was a place to rest between classes and a great way to find out about campus happenings. It’s also where Bertil met her husband, Steve Bertil ’11. They started dating their senior year and married nearly six years ago.

Bertil’s experiences at WCU set her — and Steve — on a path to success, and that’s something for which she’s grateful.

“I am incredibly thankful,” she said. “Thankful for the resources that we were provided that helped us create and foster a foundation that got us where we are today.”

It certainly inspires her giving. Bertil contributes to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment for Diversity in Accounting, which was established by PwC in 2021 to benefit and increase access for underrepresented minorities, veteran students, or students with disabilities engaging in the pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She also contributes to the Lawrence Dowdy Multicultural Center Operating Fund, which supports programs and opportunities that promote and support civility, inclusion, and student leadership for emerging leaders.

The PwC Endowment is especially near and dear to Bertil’s heart because a scholarship is what allowed her to pursue accounting. Without that financial aid, she might not have been able to finish her degree.

“Scholarships can really help bridge the gap. I came from a family who didn’t have the means to financially pay for my tuition,” she said. “As a way to give back, that’s where I like to focus and target my giving. It’s really important to me that cost is not a barrier for the individuals who have an interest in accounting.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Danielle (Gilliam) Hall ’11