Fox Accounting Department Provides Future Students With a Passport to Opportunity
By: Liz Connolly
Many high school students are interested in business and statistics, but when they hear the words, "Certified Public Accountant" (CPA) they might not know what the title truly means. To provide high school students with insight into the accounting profession, Temple University’s Fox School of Business Accounting Department hosted the first-ever Passport to Opportunity on Oct. 27 at the Howard Gittis Student Center. Nearly 300 students from 11 Philadelphia-area high schools attended the event.
Sheri Risler, CPA, professor of accounting practice at Fox, organized the event in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Accountants (PICPA) and the Relations with Schools & Colleges Committee. Risler said, "The event is a great opportunity to showcase Fox’s accounting program to students interested in the accounting degree and profession."
Temple men’s basketball coach and Fox professor, Fran Dunphy, kick-started the event, telling students, "This is your opportunity to do great in high school and do your best. Give it everything you have and be a good person." Dunphy related to students through basketball by describing specific challenges some of his athletes had faced and how they overcame them by working hard.
Hard work and determination were key themes addressed throughout the day’s event. Keynote speakers, Fox accounting professors, Temple seniors in the program, and representatives from the Center for Student Professional Development (CSPD) provided various tips on how to get into college or business school, detailed course requirements for accounting majors, and offered career and internship advice.
Keynote speaker Neil G. Lubarsky, CPA and Senior Vice President and CFO for Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, described his responsibilities making all of the financial decisions for the hospital and its 700 employees. He explained that good accountants must be skilled in math, have proficiency with the latest in information technology, have good communication and organizational skills, and possess integrity.
Sheri Risler briefed students on the various accounting courses offered at Fox, the steps required to become a licensed CPA, and referenced the book, Fresh Perspectives-A student’s handbook to becoming a CPA as a tool for students to gather more information on the opportunities available to accountants. Megan Rimer, associate director for CSPD, described the resources available at CSPD. She outlined the various employment options available to accountants, including working at public, private, corporate or government firms. She noted the importance of students being prepared for college by achieving high SAT scores and good grades, and becoming involved in extracurricular activities, such as athletics or community service.
BBA students majoring in accounting spoke about how they have already secured positions after graduation, and remarked how helpful Fox’s CSPD was to them in finding internships and full-time positions. Jonathan Reiter and Joe Yurkanin expressed how important it is for students to get involved in professional associations or organizations during their college career, and highlighted the student accounting organizations within Fox.
High school juniors Sash Wynter and Tash Morgan Wynter, and senior,
Kimisha Simpson, all from Haverford High School, said it was very beneficial to hear firsthand about majoring in accounting and the skills needed to break into the industry. Each has a strong interest in business and accounting, and is a member of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) association.
Because this year’s Passport to Opportunity was so successful, Fox's accounting department hopes to make it an annual event.
