On a wet and foggy day in early April, a bus full of undergraduate accounting students from ¶¶Òõ̽̽ (¶¶Òõ̽̽) Grossman School of Business (Grossman School) rode a coach liner through the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire to Boston's downtown financial district. A few dozen sharply dressed students disembarked, eager to experience a day-in-the-life of a public accountant and learn about the benefits of beginning their career as an intern or employee at some of the largest accounting firms in the world.
Accompanied by Associate Professor and Master of Accountancy (MAcc) Program Director Suzanne Lowensohn, Assistant Professor Ed Gamble, and Employer Outreach & Professional Development Specialist Katy Reed, students had a chance to tour the world-class offices of multiple international accounting firms. Recruiters from KPMG, Ernst & Young, and RSM all spent a few hours with the students outlining the various perks and benefits of working within their respective firms. These trips are also a great chance for students to network with professionals in the field and compare firm attributes. Each of the firms offer competitive salaries and bonus incentives to new employees and even provide pathways and materials to aid with CPA exam preparation.
The office tours guided students through state-of-the-art workspaces that overlooked the Boston waterfront. Some hallways were decorated with beautiful modern art. Each firm had either a snack bar or kitchen with snacks to keep them fueled through their workday. Some workplaces even sported arcade games and beer taps to promote a healthy work/life balance.
The students ended their day with a panel of alumni already employed by one of the firms. The former ¶¶Òõ̽̽ accountants imparted their wisdom in the form of time management tips, and advice for approaching the CPA exams. With their eyes on their future, the students loaded back into the bus for the return ride home. As the bus passed back into Vermont, the clouds broke just in time for sunset.
This annual trip to Boston is sponsored by the Accounting Club and is just one of many forms of experimental learning opportunities offered by the Grossman School of Business. Many of these students will enter the MAcc program at the Grossman School during or after their undergraduate studies. ¶¶Òõ̽̽’s MAcc touts a very high success rate for both job placement and CPA exam pass rate, making the young and enthusiastic Grossman School students an attractive hiring pool for these large firms.