November 1999

Chapter Education Events Achieve Statewide Success

Student education nights achieve great success in NYSSCPA chapters across the state. These events provide a positive image of the accounting profession and allow students to interact with CPAs in an informative and social environment.

One of this year's events was Syracuse's Student Awards Meeting on October 7, held in cooperation with LeMoyne College. The meeting attracted 40 students from neighboring colleges, five faculty members, and 30 accounting professionals from the local chapter. Keynote speaker Robert Fagliarone of the Fagiliarone Group, a past NYSSCPA president and current Syracuse Chapter president, advised attendees about the challenges that will be created by the changing landscape of the accounting profession. The chapter presented Society awards to the following students for academic achievement and career preparation: Lynn M. Riley, Kristi Carney, Regina Joyce, Michelle Wright, Shannon Slaght, Amy Huests, Angela M. Gray, Carleen Salvage, David J. Winifield, and William King.

The Staten Island Chapter, which founded the education night programs, had its annual Accounting Education Night on October 13. Chaired by Frank J. Aquilino, Society vice president and chair of the Accounting, Law, and Taxation Department at Montclair State University, the event attracted juniors and seniors from St. John's University, College of Staten Island, Wagner College, Long Island University, St. Frances College, Brooklyn College, Pace University, and Baruch College. More than 150 students and professionals attended. Speakers from education, industry, and accounting firms included Susan Barossi from O'Connor Davies & Co., Anthony Maltese from Maltese Potter & LaMarca, Gioia Pisano from Ernst &Young LLP, and Rosemarie Barnickel from Polytechnic University. They discussed their personal employment experiences and interviewing skills and techniques. The event also featured a mock interview with a junior accounting student from St. John's University.

Other chapters hold similar activities throughout the year. Nassau held its Mentor a Student Night on November 16. Rochester and Buffalo plan to hold their education nights on March 3 and April 25, respectively. Mid Hudson will host its Scholarship Night in conjunction with its annual election dinner in the spring.

For more information on chapter educational or student events, please contact the local chapter president, the chair of the chapter's Cooperation with Educational Institutions Committee, or NYSSCPA Chapter Relations Manager Xio Fox at (212) 719-8395, (800) 633-6320, or xfox@nysscpa.org. *

Frank Aquilino, NYSSCPA vice president and chair of the Accounting, Law, and Taxation Department at Montclair State University; and Donald Taylor, Syracuse Chapter secretary and partner at the Fagliarone Group also contributed to this article.