December 2000

Accounting Students Get the Skinny at Education Night

Over 100 junior and senior accounting majors attended this year’s Annual Education Night Dinner, held by the New York State Society of CPAs Staten Island Chapter.

The event, which took place Oct. 4 at the Renaissance banquet hall in Grant City, Staten Island, drew students from several different schools including St. John’s University, Wagner College, the College of Staten Island, Brooklyn College, and Baruch.

“[The dinner] is just to allow the students the opportunity to get to know what is out there,” said Rosemarie Barnickel, past president of the Staten Island Chapter and current chair of the NYSSCPA Audit Committee. “Not everyone can [sign on] with a Big Five firm. We want to make sure that they know there are options.”

To help convey those options, two guest speakers spoke about the different ways in which they had taken advantage of their CPA licenses.

Former NYSSCPA member Thomas Anselmo spoke about the importance of his license to his law practice. Edward Esposito, a member of the Staten Island Chapter, gave the students a brief account of his career path, which started in public accounting and led to the creation of his own business valuation and forensic accounting practice.

NYSSCPA member John Irushalmi of Ernst & Young was on hand to make sure the students had a shot at exploring the different options available to them. He spoke about the importance of interviewing as well as the attributes CPA firms look for in a candidate.

“I believe that the event was very informative for the students,” said Walter Daszkowski, a member of the Staten Island Chapter. “It displayed the importance of having a CPA license and how the CPA profession can open the doors to many different avenues. In addition, the students learned the important aspects of a job interview at a large firm.”

Though it is not regarded as a recruiting event, the annual dinner affords students the added benefit of making contacts that could be integral to their future. This informal networking helps students gain a better understanding of both the Staten Island Chapter and the NYSSCPA, encouraging them to get involved with both organizations, Barnickel said.