Month: October 2014

Student Spotlight: Alessia Hughes

By Christian Conley

Alessia Hughes is a great friend and member of Beta Alpha Psi. She has been a staple of the group for the past few years and you can always find her at volunteer events, socials, and every professional meeting. I first met Alessia a few years ago in our first tax class and ever since then I have realized she embodies the values of Beta Alpha Psi: intelligent, ethical, and hard working. Alessia is also involved in her sorority (holding leadership positions) and is interning next semester for a “Big Four” accounting firm. I had the pleasure of chatting with Alessia and this is what she had to say:

What is your current status on campus (Junior, Senior, Grad, etc)?

My current status is a Senior

How was the interview process this recruiting cycle for you?

The interview process went well for me. This was my second time going through and I felt much more confident and prepared than I did last year. To all underclassmen, I recommend going to meet the recruiters a year early so you have a better understanding of what the recruiters are looking for when you actually go to apply for an internship or job. Also, I know a lot of my peers chose to apply to as many firms as they could in case they didn’t land an offer with their top firms, but that can be stressful and time consuming. I picked my top choices and put all of my effort into the firms I really wanted. It worked out for me and I received an offer for an internship this winter.

What is your favorite memory from being an accounting major?

Can you really have a favorite memory doing accounting? I’m kidding. My favorite memory is actually going to accounting firm’s offices during the recruitment process. All the hard work actually pays off and you get to see what you could potentially be a part of for the rest of your life.

What is one piece of advice that you wish you could tell yourself when you were a freshmen?

Honestly, I don’t have any advice. I look back at my time at CMU and know that I did the best I could and I took every opportunity available. To freshman and sophomores here is my advice: don’t just get involved, BE A LEADER. Make a difference in the organizations you join. That is what recruiters really want to see. They want to know that if they hire you, you will make a difference in their company. You could join 30 organizations but if you do not take a leadership role, it will say a lot about the type of worker you will be. I did not take an Executive Board position in Beta Alpha Psi like I had initially planned, but I found another organization on campus that I was extremely passionate about and I put my time and effort into that group. I gained a lot of knowledge from the positions I took and I would not take that experience back for anything.

Any funny grawn hall stories?

Not that I can think of.

Christian Conley is the current President of Beta Alpha Psi’s Eta Epsilon Chapter. He has been a member of Beta Alpha Psi for two years. To contact him, send an email to betaalphapsi.cmu@gmail.com.

How to survive as an accounting major: Join a student organization

By Christian Conley

By far one of the biggest hurdles when I first came to Central Michigan University was breaking out of my comfort zone. Growing up, most of my elementary school friends went to the same middle school as me and then we went to high school together. It was a pretty consistent flow and my social group never really evolved. That all changed the moment I arrived on campus.

Finding people to “party” with is not a hard task to accomplish, especially in a college town. However, finding friends who you can study with, work on group projects with, and complain to each with is much more difficult. That is why I encourage any accounting major (or student) to join a student organization. Here are the top three benefits in my opinion:

1) Students who relate to you

The accounting major is very unique in that our hardest exam is after we graduate. Very often, you will hear students talking about their “150” or trying to study for “FAR.” When you join a student organization like Beta Alpha Psi (BAP), Student Accounting Society (SAS), or National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), you find people who relate to the struggles you are going through. They understand (or are going through it with you) the difficulty of preparing for “501 and 531” while juggling office interviews.

2) Networking

Typically, this is what the core objective of joining an organization like BAP, SAS or NABA is about. The people who sit next to you during professional meetings are future managers, partners and CFO’s. More importantly, you interact with recruiters every week. I have walked into interview rooms where the people who are interviewing me I have met numerous times before because of Beta Alpha Psi. I can’t think of any better way a student could build up his or her’s professional network than to join a student organization.

3) Great people

I know this is the second time I have mentioned the students, but it would be a disservice to not articulate how wonderful the people are. Some of my fondest memories of the accounting program is sitting around tables in Grawn or the library and studying for our final exam together. When you join a student organization, you get to experience items like socials (BAP/SAS are going to a Piston’s game next week), volunteering events (working the food pantry is always a great experience) and formal banquets (where the food is always amazing).

5 Myths About Accounting Students

By Christian Conley

When I first arrived on the campus of CMU, I had a preconceived notion about accounting students: nerdy, they love math, and all they do is record numbers in a book. I am sure there are plenty of students just like me, so hopefully this brings some insight:

1) Accounting majors are great at math

While this is often the case, a lot of accounting students actually despise math (myself included). As my Fund Accounting (a 500 level course) professor used to say, “All you need is 5th grade arithmetic.” While there are cases of complexity and number crunching at a high level, this is generally a true statement.

2) Accounting majors have no social life

Sometimes this feels like the case, but accounting majors have active social lives just like any other major. Within our major we have everything from President’s of RSO’s to division one athletes. As long as you manage your time correctly, you can have both an accounting major and a social life.

3) All there is after college is bookkeeping

This is one of the more frustrating myth’s, as I have multiple CPA’s in my family. There is everything from structuring M&A’s (Mergers and Acquisitions) to doing forensic accounting. One of the most sought after majors is accounting when it comes to investigative agencies, like the FBI and IRS. On PwC’s website, there are over 35 different areas of practice you can venture into. The possibilities are endless.

4) After I graduate, I will be sitting in a cubicle for the rest of my life

While there is a lot of desk work involved in being a CPA (which is a path for an accounting major), this is simply not true. I know CPA’s who spend most of the days out of the office, CPA’s who travel on a weekly basis and I have a friend who spent a two year assignment in France. While it is not quite jumping out of airplanes and running into burning buildings, it isn’t what the Hollywood stereotype would want you to think.

5) Accountants are not in the “game”- they just keep score

This phrase essentially boils down to this: accountants just maintain the books while somebody else earns the glory and accolades. This can’t be further from the truth. From entrepreneurs to politicians, accounting majors change the world everyday.

Day in the Life: Brian Bennyhoff

By Christian Conley

Brian Bennyhoff, a former CMU student and Football player, is hands down one of the brightest young minds in the accounting industry. For any upcoming accounting or business students, it would be very advantageous to listen to the advice he gives out. I recently interviewed Brian on what a day in the life looks like for him, and here are his answers:

What year did you graduate? 2012

What degree(s) did you receive? BSBA in Accounting and Finance

What firm do you work at? EY

What is your current position at the firm? Senior

What is your line of service? Assurance

What is a typical day like for you?
Most days start with reviewing emails and to-do lists from the prior day and/or week. I also review what meetings I have planned for the day. This helps me plan my focus for the day and if my day will be primarily dedicated to preparing audit workpapers or coaching staff. Most days involve a combination of each, but some days are particularly heavy one way or another. I spend each day executing my plan, and I end each day evaluating what is still open, what requests need to be made of the client, and what items need to be brought to the attention of my manager and/or partner.

How has CMU prepared you for your career? Any particular classes or professors that have helped you along the way?
The main preparation that CMU offered was a challenging course load. Having the ability to take many, challenging classes at once enabled me to practice having many assignments due at relatively similar deadlines. Apart from the technical accounting that I learned while at CMU, the other valuable resource was the direct knowledge of the professors. Dr. Weirich’s auditing class was particularly helpful, as was Dr. Bromley’s Information Systems class because both of these classes encapsulate knowledge I utilize every single day.

What is something you would like to tell yourself as a freshmen walking through grawn hall?
I would tell myself, and all other freshmen, that preparation for a career begins on day one. Whether you spend a career in public accounting, industry, or some combination of the two, the skills learned in the first business class at CMU are just as important as those learned at the most advanced level. Learn how to learn, and you will set yourself up for success the rest of your life.

Do you have any advice for students currently looking for internships?
Truly understand the company you’re interviewing with and why you want to interview with them. If they’re a public accounting firm, who are their premier clients? If they’re in industry, what products to they manufacture? Take a look at the company’s website and familiarize yourself with the stated values and mission of the company. In regards to why you want to interview with the company, we all know you want an internship for the professional experience and financial reward, but what sets the company you’re interviewing with apart in your mind? Why is it particularly attractive? Being able to answer this question will make you stand out from others interviewing for the same position.

Student Spotlight: Ryan Jankowiak

By Christian Conley

Ryan at his Free Speech Wall

Each week our website will spotlight students around the School of Accounting who have excelled in their academic, personal or professional life. This week, we will spotlighting Ryan Jankowiak. If you or someone you know should be spotlighted, send us an email at betaalphapsi.cmu@gmail.com. Ryan, an accounting major, is a known character around the halls on the second and third floor of Grawn. Although quiet at first, you quickly realize why he is such a popular guy around the SAC, Grawn, and amongst members of the Michigan Liberty Movement. Here is what Ryan had to say about his success:

What is your current status at the university and when do you plan on graduating?

Senior planning to graduate August 2015

Million dollar question: tax or audit?

Audit- able diversify my skills with a wide variety of clients and opportunities to travel

What do you do outside of the School of Accounting?

I’m an intramural supervisor and love playing sports. Currently on two flag football teams and one softball team. I’m also the treasurer of Young Americans for Liberty. Go Liberty!

What has been your favorite class so far in accounting?

ACC321 Managerial Cost Accounting

Any funny Grawn stories?

Can’t think of any off the top of my head. I think it’s funny when some professors get mad at students though.