Roundtables in Accounting Recap

Daniel Mahon
Staff Writer

To end off the month of January, the Accounting Club hosted ‘Roundtables in Accounting’, its biggest event of the year. This event had been on pause for the past few years due to the pandemic, but it came back strong this time around.

It was advertised months before it even occurred, highlighting the importance of this event. This event was a speed networking event for students to get the opportunity to talk to different accounting firms.

Fifteen firms were in attendance, ranging from the Big Four to more mid-sized and smaller firms, which included seven of the top ten firms, according to the IPA 500. Each firm had numerous representatives that students were able to speak with, whether they worked in tax, audit, or assurance, or they happened to be the campus recruiter for that firm. Students were able to hear different viewpoints while also being able to ask questions.

Each firm was at a table and students were given seven minutes to go to a table and network with the firm. Some tables would have multiple students, while others might have only one. From personal experience, most of the time I was the only student at a table, which I enjoyed because I felt that I was able to communicate better and have full focus between myself and the representatives. It also was not necessarily only limited to this time frame as well, as you were able to speak to some firms before the event even began, and after the event ended, firms still stayed and you could speak to whichever table you may not have been able to get to in the time frame.

Professor Theresa Henry, who is the advisor for the Accounting Club, as well as the entire executive board, did a great job at getting this event set up and executed. It can be difficult to get so many firms to be in one place at once, but they were able to get it all together and it worked out well.

Another positive of the event was that there was food served, so some firm representatives had their food with them while networking, which made it a little bit more informal. Sometimes students can be nervous to network, so having this more informal aspect can help with getting a conversation started.

The Roundtables in Accounting event was a great way for students to connect with others, and be able to get their name out there. Events like this can lead to interviews, internships, and potential future jobs, so it is a huge plus to attend and speak with so many people. Even for the younger undergraduates like freshmen and sophomores, each firm usually has a program to get them involved. Getting involved in those programs gives students a better understanding of the firm and can lead to an internship as well.

Overall, the Roundtables in Accounting event was a success and was the biggest event for the Accounting Club yet. It will be nice to see how this event grows in the future.

Contact Daniel at daniel.mahon@student.shu.edu