News Stories

On November 1, over 100 business students attended the seventh annual Corporate Accounting Career Panel Discussion, which was held on campus in Benson Center’s Williman Room. Professor Joe Maglione (’77), a former audit partner at Deloitte, moderated a panel of four SCU accounting/A&IS alums featuring:

• Andrew Becker (’17) - Senior Revenue Analyst, Pfizer
  • Public accounting experience: PwC (4 yrs 2 months)
• Mike Masterman (’12) - FP&A Manager, Salesforce
  • Public accounting experience:  KPMG (1 yr 7 months)
• Gina Nguyen (’12) - Operations Program Manager, Google Cloud
  • Public accounting experience: PwC (4 yrs 11 months)
• Sylvia Yu (’15) - Audit Manager, Adobe
  • Public accounting experience: EY (5 yrs 9 months)

The Panel Discussion was organized by SCU’s Center for Accounting Research and Education (CARE), which is chartered by the Business School to strengthen the bridges between accounting research, accounting education, and accounting practice.

First year and sophomore students comprised 88% of the attendees. About 30% of the student attendees were accounting/A&IS majors, 19% were finance majors, and 21% were undeclared, with the remaining 30% consisting of business students with other majors. During the 90-minute event, panelists fielded questions from both Professor Maglione and the audience.

Based on feedback received after the event, students appreciated the variety of experience the panelists shared from both their current corporate positions and also their initial career experiences at the Big Four.  Students also welcomed the panelists honesty. One student remarked that "the panel did really open my eyes to the real world of accounting, management, and business.”  Under Professor Maglione’s direction, all of the panelists shared valuable, relatable insights about remote work, AI, data analytics, and the value of an accounting foundation.  Students heard how an accounting/A&IS major offers students the ability to experience internships, grow their accounting foundation, and sharpen their soft skills in a way that opens the door to a variety of opportunities and companies.  

Takeaways from the Panel Discussion include the following:

• Facetime in the office will pay huge dividends. Be there for the meeting, learn from the after-meetings, and network with others in the company.
• Although accounting graduates can experience busy times with 70+ hours a week, the benefits include the exposure to variety of client situations, the opportunity to learn a lot, and the friendships you develop working with other motivated co-workers.
• Working with clients and in the office helps develop necessary soft skills and improves your communication skills, which are beneficial in any career path.
• Starting your career with a Big Four firm provides structure, support, and knowledge about the accounting industry, all of which can be a positive resume statement.
• Differentiate yourself through continuous networking, having a positive attitude, and be willing to learn.

We extend a special thanks to Professor Maglione and the panelists for being candid and openly sharing their experiences with SCU students. Additionally, Professor Maglione and the panelists stayed after the event to informally talk with individual students who had more questions.  All of the student feedback indicated the event was informative and insightful, regardless of their major, with 96% of the student feedback indicating they were satisfied/very satisfied with the event.

In Winter Quarter 2024 (January 17^th), the Center for Accounting Research and Education (CARE) will sponsor a second panel discussion on career opportunities for accounting / A&IS majors called “Accounting Information Night.” This second event features a panel that includes CPA firm partners, senior executives, and young professionals with accounting / A&IS degrees, as well as small group breakout discussions. This in-person event will be held in Locatelli Center and is open to students of all majors.