Brooklyn Chapter Draws Students Through Seminars

A large number of accounting students attended three professional seminars sponsored by the Brooklyn Chapter of the New York State Society of CPAs in the fall, chapter officials reported.

“The standing invitation to students to attend professional seminars…at no charge is a part of the chapter’s mission to encourage students to be active in the profession of their choice early in their careers,” said Myrna L. Fischman, chapter president and accounting professor at Long Island University (L.I.U.). “What we’re doing is reaching out and getting the students to know about the benefits of membership,” she said.

Students from L.I.U. attended three seminars alongside CPAs from the end of October to the beginning of November. Society members and others led the seminars, which at times saw more than 36 students in attendance.

On Oct. 31, the chapter hosted an evening seminar covering legal and tax aspects of elder care with guest speaker Lynne Terrilonge, Esq., president of the Brooklyn Bar Association.

Students also attended the Nov. 1 evening seminar on new tax law (retirement plans), and the day-long seminar on Nov. 2 covering educational incentives, securities strategies and estates, gifts and trusts. The speakers at these seminars were Warren M. Bergstein, of Strauss Comas & Modansky and an L.I.U. alumnus and professor; Steven Mayer, of The Mayer Benefits Advisory; Janice M. Johnson, of American Express Tax & Business Services, Inc.; and Laurence Keiser of Stern Keiser Panken & Wohl LLP. Bergstein is an alumnus of L.I.U. and an adjunct professor of accounting and taxation.

The committee invites students to attend future seminars, including an all-day session to be held on Jan. 10, 2002, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., that will focus on the Internal Revenue Service.

Students can attend at no charge, though advance registration is requested. To register, students should see Tashiena McKenzie, the chapter’s Young CPA representative, in person at L.I.U. or contact Marlene Colman at marlene.colman@chase.com.