Accounting Society and CPE hosts inaugural Meet the Students event

Feb. 3, 2016 | Business |

On Tuesday, Jan. 26, the University’s Accounting Society and the College of Business Administration’s Center for Professional Excellence held their inaugural Meet the Students spring mixer event at the Arkansas Society of CPAs’ facility in Little Rock. Eleven firms sent 35 representatives to meet and visit informally with accounting majors who ranged in classification from freshman to senior.

To kick off the event, Dr. Phil Brown, co-chair of the accounting and finance departments, introduced Marsha Moffitt, the ASCPA executive director, who welcomed the group and shared many advantages of becoming a student member in ASCPA. This event was planned as a direct result of many firms indicating a desire for an additional opportunity to identify prospective candidates beyond their attendance at the annual Meet the Firms event held on campus each fall.

Firms that attended the event included Arkansas Legislative Audit, BKD, CBIZ, Chandler & Associates, EGP, Frost, Hudson Cisne, JPMS Cox, Northwestern Mutual, PwC, and Windstream.

“This event allowed our students to explore the diversity of internships and entry-level opportunities that are available, including large, medium and small public accounting firms with roles in audit, tax, wealth management and small business, private accounting, and governmental accounting as well as options in the financial services market,” said Dr. Bob Churchman, co-chair of the accounting and finance departments.

Brian Harrington, director for the Center for Professional Excellence extended his appreciation for “each of the firms who participated” and “for the opportunity to connect our accounting students with these firms.”

Mary Tomlinson, a sophomore from Pensacola, Florida, expressed her gratitude for the chance “to see Harding alumni and current interns enjoying the accounting profession” and the opportunity to gain “insights about the day-to-day work schedule of an accountant and tips for taking the CPA exam.” Hannah Worrell, a junior from Hornersville, Missouri, also shared her thoughts about “how many opportunities are available to accounting and finance students. It was an overall enlightening experience that has benefited and inspired me in numerous ways.”

Speaking on behalf of the recruiting firms, Joey Lambert of BKD expressed this thought about participating “in events that the ASCPA provides to their members. This is the perfect way for students to interact face to face with employers and begin to cultivate relationships with local and national companies.”

Students gained a greater understanding of the accounting profession, met many accounting professionals and recruiters, and had the opportunity to explore and discuss how each of the various firms differentiated themselves in their own unique way. Brown also expressed his “appreciation for the continued partnership relationship between Harding’s accounting program, the firms in attendance and the ASCPA as we all work together toward developing tomorrow’s accounting professionals.”