Making the Grade: A Q&A with Accounting Graduate Denise Murillo

On School

Trusted Professional: What was your major?

Murillo: My major was business administration, with concentrations in both accounting and finance.

Trusted Professional: Did you graduate with 150 hours?

Murillo: No, I did not.

Trusted Professional: How long did it take you to earn your degree?

Murillo: It took me four years.

Trusted Professional: Did you receive any scholarships?

Murillo: Yes, I was awarded the John G. and Elizabeth Gibbons Scholarship in 1998 and 1999.

Trusted Professional: Were you a member of any clubs or organizations while in college?

Murillo: I was the reporting secretary of Beta Alpha Psi and I am a member of Beta Gamma Sigma and the Golden Key National Honor Society.

Trusted Professional: Did you do any volunteer work?

Murillo: Yes, while I was a member of Beta Alpha Psi we did quite a bit of volunteer work. For example, we raised money to help the Food Bank of Buffalo. We also volunteered for VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program), an IRS program to provide free advice to those who need help filling out their tax forms.

Trusted Professional: What course did you enjoy the most?

Murillo: My favorite course was MGA 403, Federal and State Taxes. I enjoyed the fact that taxation is an evolving area that requires analytical skills, knowledge of the latest laws, an accounting background and financial skills.

Trusted Professional: If you had a favorite professor, what did you admire about him or her?

Murillo: I learned something unique from each professor in the business program. However, if I had to choose the one who I admired the most, it would be Professor Ann Burstein Cohen (president-elect of the NYSSCPA Buffalo Chapter), who I had for MGA 403. I admired the fact that she knew the material firsthand. She was very organized and fair, her assignments and tests were challenging, and she respected the rules.

Trusted Professional: Did you work while attending college?

Murillo: I did some part-time work, but I was mainly a full-time student.

On Work

Trusted Professional: Did you do any internships or co-ops?

Murillo: Yes, in the summer of 2000 I interned with Deloitte & Touche. In the summer of 1999 I interned with the Buffalo Medical Group.

Trusted Professional: What area of accounting are you planning to pursue?

Murillo: Tax.

Trusted Professional: Do you already have a job lined up?

Murillo: I was about to join Deloitte & Touche here in Buffalo. Since I am now moving to Seattle for family reasons, I will be looking for a job in that area.

On Free Time

Trusted Professional: What do you do in your free time?

Murillo: I am a nature lover. I enjoy the outdoors—running, hiking and skiing. I also enjoy reading a good book.

Trusted Professional: What are you reading this summer?

Murillo: With the move to Seattle, I don’t have a lot of free time. However, I am trying to finish Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

Trusted Professional: Who is your favorite author?

Murillo: My favorite author is Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, the author of Don Quijote de la Mancha, which, by the way, is my favorite book.

On Accounting

Trusted Professional: Why did you study accounting? Who or what influenced this decision?

Murillo: Accounting is an area that requires good math, analytical and people skills. I like to think that I have those skills. Initially I enrolled in the general business program, as I did not know which area of concentration I would be interested in. As time went by, I became involved in student organizations and other groups and started interacting with professors in the areas of accounting and finance. It was a process that took some time—it wasn’t a quick decision.

Trusted Professional: How do you think the education system should change to attract more students into accounting-related degree plans?

Murillo: We need to market the benefits of an accounting career earlier in most business programs and even at the high-school level. It took me a while to realize what accounting had to offer.

Trusted Professional: How would you try to convince someone to be a CPA?

Murillo: Getting a CPA requires a lot of hard work at the beginning of your career. However, it also opens a lot of doors and creates a lot of opportunities. The career path for a CPA is broad: a CPA has developed his or her hard and soft skills at the same time, and this is what is required to succeed in the business world. The CPA designation allows you to grow and offers you flexibility. It is the right move for someone interested in becoming a partner in an accounting firm, a successful entrepreneur, a comptroller, a CFO or even a CEO.

Trusted Professional: What kind of person would make a good CPA?

Murillo: A highly organized person, a good time manager, a methodical individual with good people skills—someone with an inquisitive mind.

Trusted Professional: Envision yourself in five years.

Murillo: Five years from now I want to be in a position of responsibility to fully take advantage of my education and experience. I want to be performing mostly managerial tasks and helping others develop their careers. I want to have some free time—I have always believed in a balanced lifestyle in which you spend most of your time working but also have time to pursue other interests.