LYCOMING COLLEGE SUMMER MAGAZINE 2023

What career paths have some of your former students taken, and what would you tell prospective students and their families about pursing a degree in accounting? Many of our students begin working in public accounting upon graduation. We design our program to ensure that our graduates have the tools necessary to be successful in public accounting, working at firms including PwC, E&Y, and KPMG, and passing the CPA exam. Other students have worked in governmental areas like the GAO, FBI, or state and local government. UPMC, Geisinger, Hershey Foods, Disney, Legg-Mason, and First Quality are just a few industries where our students are employed. We have several students working in the real estate and private equity industries as well. When asked about pursuing degrees in accounting, I share that the possibilities are endless. Roughly 27 percent of today’s CFOs have public accounting backgrounds, while approximately 29 percent of CEOs have a degree in accounting, business, economics, finance, or a related degree.

I hope that my students learn how to think analytically and rationally.

What is your favorite aspect of accounting and why? I love seeing my students learn new things that they can apply in their everyday lives and use beyond graduation. It is rewarding to hear from my former students when they pass the CPA exam or when they are promoted. Everyone uses accounting in their everyday lives. What is it that you find most fulfilling about teaching and engaging with students? One of my favorite aspects of my job is assisting students with their practicum placements and watching their growth over their four years at Lycoming. I have an open-door policy, and it makes my day when a student comes into my office to tell me about an employment opportunity.

What do you hope students will gain from your classes? Are there aspects of accounting courses that you think are beneficial to all students, not just majors? I hope that my students learn how to think analytically and rationally. When working on problem-solving questions, such as “If you win the lottery, do you take a lump sum payment or an annuity?”, I ask them if their answers make sense. I think our financial accounting course is one of our most important courses. We teach to broad disciplines, not just accounting and business. It makes me happy when we have students from majors like biology, theatre, or art and design who take the course because other students have told them how much they have learned.

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