2023 SCUAA News
The Santa Clara University Accounting Association (SCUAA) successfully hosted many events during the 2022-2023 academic year, including in person career fairs and monthly SCUAA meetings hosting various accounting firms. Additionally, SCUAA assists students prepare for career fairs by hosting pre-event interactive workshops and also invites a CPA exam review company to present on the latest CPA exam guidelines.
Read more about the 2023-2024 Accounting Association officers below:
Noah Chak (President - Senior Officer) - I am from Anaheim, CA and attended Fairmont Preparatory Academy. I knew Santa Clara was the school for me because of its strong business program and it’s well known and respected presence in the Bay Area. The class sizes and the relationships with professors that I have been able to build here are something I would not have gotten anywhere else. Accounting as a major was an easy choice because as a subject it uses a lot of critical thinking and logic. Santa Clara’s strong program and staff also allowed me to feel comfortable making my decision. I am involved with the school as a Peer Educator for a Critical Thinking and Writing class, VP of SCU Golf Club, and a Junior Officer for SCUAA. After my junior year, I will be interning with Deloitte San Francisco as an audit and assurance intern in Summer 2023. With SCUAA I hope to expand my network and build camaraderie between students here at Santa Clara.
Megan House (Senior Officer) - I grew up in Cupertino, CA and attended Cupertino High School. I chose to attend Santa Clara because of its well established business school and prime location in the Bay Area. After taking Accounting 11 and learning more about the major, I knew accounting would be a good option for me because of the opportunities, stability, and structure. At the end of sophomore year, I declared Accounting and Information Systems as my major to develop a more diverse set of skills by mixing business with technology. I recently interned in audit at KPMG and I am looking forward to my audit internship at PwC for summer 2023. I enjoy baking, weight training, and watching TV (especially comedies). I look forward to meeting new people through the Accounting Association.
Belle Yei (Senior Officer) - I was born and raised in Taichung, Taiwan, where I attended a local high school and began my bilingual journey. I chose Santa Clara because of its location in Silicon Valley. I did not start my academic journey as an accounting major. However, as time passed, the school’s highly respected accounting program attracted me to be part of the family. I chose accounting as my major because, as a child of a factory owner, I have understood the importance of accounting from a very young age. I wish to one day be able to give my family a hand in our business as we thrive together. As for the future, I am very excited that I will be able to join EY as a Tax intern in the summer of 2023.
Sydney Yuen (Senior Officer) - I was born and raised in San Mateo, CA, and attended Hillsdale High School before coming to Santa Clara. I chose to come to SCU because my older sister graduated from here and shared how incredible the Leavey School of Business is and the opportunity to build and strengthen connections with professors. My Dad is a CPA and always encouraged me to major in Accounting because of the critical thinking and problem-solving skills it teaches you. I ultimately decided to declare my major as Accounting and Information Systems because of the impact of technology in the Accounting world and it will allow me to understand the relationship between the two and make outdated processes more efficient. Outside of SCUAA, I am currently involved in the professional co-ed fraternity Alpha Phi Omega where I participate in community service events around SCU and on a national scale. In my free time, I love reading, spending time with my family, and trying new food! In the summer of 2022, I interned at Deloitte’s San Francisco office as a Discovery Intern where I was able to build my networking skills and apply what I’ve learned from my Accounting classes. In the summer of 2023, I worked as an Audit Intern. I am excited to apply the new skills I’ve learned this summer and through my time in SCUAA!
Mark Aquilio (Junior Officer) - I was born and raised in San Bruno, CA, where I attended Capuchino High School before coming to Santa Clara. I decided to come to Santa Clara because of the great reputation the business program had as well as the countless opportunities the location offered. I decided to major in accounting late into my sophomore year after enjoying Accounting 11 and having already enjoyed working with numbers. Outside of SCUAA, I’m involved in the business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi and am an events associate in the Sports Business Club. This past summer, I interned at Deloitte’s San Francisco office in audit as a Discovery Intern where I was able to learn more about the day-to-day work of auditors and connect with other professionals. In my free time, I enjoy watching sports, exploring new places, and hanging out with friends!
Brendan Arias (Junior Officer) - I am from Chatham, NJ where I attended Chatham High School. I originally chose SCU because of the prospect of combining business and technology into my education, along with the prime location of Silicon Valley. I chose A&IS as my major as it seemed like the perfect combination of my interests. I am involved in the school as a peer educator in the Accounting Department and as the first University's Risk Management Assistant. This past summer 2023, I completed an internship at Tandym Group on the internal Finance & Accounting team in the NYC office. Next summer, I plan to be a Digital Assurance & Transparency intern at PwC in the NJ office. With SCUAA, I hope to both increase my engagement in the Accounting space and also lead a group of accountants-to-be in the SCU community!
John Marrack (Junior Officer) - I grew up in Hakalau, HI, and attended Hilo High School. I chose to attend SCU due to the small and intimate classes, and the business school’s strong reputation. After taking ACTG 11 and attending various accounting events, I chose to major in Accounting and Information Systems because a career in accounting is highly flexible and I enjoy its puzzle-like nature. Next summer, I am excited to join PwC as a Tax Intern. In my free time, I like to read fantasy, bodyboard, play soccer, and run.
Maia Murphy (Junior Officer) - I am from Newcastle, Washington and I am an Accounting major with an Entrepreneurship minor. I love playing pickleball, cooking/baking and hanging out with friends! I chose SCU because I wanted a school that had great weather, small class sizes and a reputable business school. I have had a great experience here so far and have especially loved the accounting program. I found a passion for accounting in ACTG 11 when I learned how logical accounting is. I also loved talking to the professionals at the SCUAA's Meet the Firms last year which ultimately helped me decide that accounting is the right major for me! This summer (2023), I am interning for Costco's Accounting Department as a corporate tax intern and next summer (2024), I will be interning at EY in Seattle as an audit intern.
Jessica Pu (Junior Officer) - I was born in Cupertino, California and had the opportunity to live abroad in Shanghai, China for high school. I chose SCU because of its location near home in Silicon Valley, as well as its well-known business school. Accounting never stood out to me until I took ACTG 11, and from there, I tried to get more involved with the department and gain a better understanding of accounting, leading me to join SCUAA. Outside of SCUAA, I’m an active member of the co-ed business fraternity Phi Chi Theta and will be VP of Service. I’m also a violist and have been playing individually and as part of ensembles for more than 10 years; in my free time, I also enjoy creative writing. During Summer 2023, I worked with Cedar Fair as an Internal Audit intern, and I look forward to joining PwC as an Audit Intern this coming Summer 2024.