New Club Leader Elections

Monday, May 23, 2005

 

Accounting Club Officers Elected For 2005-2006!

 

Yuliya Wiseman, President

Cristina Escalante, VP Finance

Jade Lee, VP Events

Nisar Mirza, VP Public Relations

Christy Pak, VP Membership Communication

Mark Ted-Tetteh, VP Web Communication

Meet & The Big 4

Wednesday, May 18, 2005, 5:00-7:00PM
Room 3201

This was our biggest event for the 2005 school year. Big 4 accounting firm associates (Ernst & Young, Price Waterhouse Coopers, KPMG, and Deloitte & Touche) with experience ranging from a few months to a few years were invited to answer questions and offer advice to interested students.

Before the question-answer sections began, the associates each sat a different table with students and conversed briefly about working at a Big 4 firm, advice for international students, any challenges they had to overcome while working, etc.

After a brief introduction by Daniel Park, the Accounting Club President, the twelve member panel (a majority of former GGU students) answered questions ranging from what the workload in a firm was like to how they balanced their social lives. The basis for this event was to provide a space for students to learn how relatively new associates were surviving their Big 4 jobs. This was a great opportunity for students to get advice, encouragement, and the “awful truth” about the Big 4 life.

For the most part, all panelists seemed to agree that it is expected and it is reasonable to make mistakes. The key is not to make the same mistakes over. Also it was found out that it is encouraged to ask senior staff about any questions, rather than wasting time with guesswork. The keywords seemed to be “be proactive”. To succeed one must actively participate, ask questions, and generally be hands-on. Another topic that caused mass agreement amongst the associates was regarding the CPA exam. Although it can be done, their advice is to pass the exam before beginning employment. The long work hours prevent many of them from studying, fortunately an associate shared that she had passed the exam while working. All in all the panel members shared the pros and cons of working in their respective firms. The advice they had to offer is practical and makes common sense, applicable to any professional career.

The event closed with a speech by the Dean of the Business School, Terry Connelly, who also thanked the panelists for taking the time to come and share their experiences and insights with GGU students. The post-reception allowed students to mingle and network amongst themselves and the associates. Many of them were able to ask any remaining questions left unanswered.

This was our last event for the school year and it was also our proudest. Judging from the students’ reactions, they were encouraged and excited about this opportunity to candidly hear from Big 4 associates.