The Accounting Alumni E-Newsletter

A Highlight of the important stuff!

POLLING QUESTIONS (Our Brand New Survey Site!)

Q: What was your favorite Marshall Street eatery?
A:

1) Chuck's
2) Cosmo's
3) Faegans
4) Pita Pit
5) Varsity
6) Syrajuice
How could you forget...? (Tell Us!)

ALUMNI NETWORKING & WEBSITE

To better help us keep in contact with you, please provide us with a personal email just in case you switch jobs. Also, if you know any Whitman Accounting Alumni who would be interested in receiving these e-mail newsletters, please contact
Marc Ben-Ami at marc.ben-ami@us.pwc.com with the name and e-mail information. 

Please view the Accounting Alumni Council website at:
http://whitman.syr.edu/Academics/Accounting/AAC/

Please view the alumni website at:
http://whitman.syr.edu/Alumni/

The Whitman School of Management has a career services page, which includes both career counseling and networking/job postings. If you would like to find out more, visit the Whitman School of Management website at http://whitman.syr.edu/Career/Alumni/.  This is a great way to post job openings at your company and find job openings where some of your fellow Whitman Alumni work.

In addition to the above Whitman Alumni website through Syracuse here are some additional networking websites:

LinkedIn
SU Accounting Alumni Group - http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/94224/3F4AE764F16E
Whitman Alumni Group - http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/95205/62C3F409DE2E

Facebook
Alumni Facebook Group - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24735904800

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EVENTS

The latest Lubin House event was held Wednesday, December 7, 2011. It was a success as a wide array of alumni and current SU students, as well as current Syracuse professors attended. Remember, Lubin House events are a great way to connect, reconnect, and network with your former classmates and other alumni! The next Lubin House event will take place this summer. Be on the look-out for a notice of a date.

The Alumni Council bought a block of tickets for the Syracuse/St. John's game at Madison Square Garden on February 4, 2012. The event was a great success with excellent turnout and all in attendance had a great time! Over 50 NYC area accounting alumni and friends joined us at the pre-game festivities and at the game itself. Of course, Syracuse won the game

The semi-annual Beta Alpha Psi Banquet is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, April 19, 2012 at the Genesee Grand Hotel. The semi-annual Beta Alpha Psi banquet is a great way to network with current students, faculty, and alumni alike. Each year, the BAP Banquet has a bigger and better showing, so if you are interested in attending or want additional information pertaining to this event, please contact Mitch Franklin at mifrankl@syr.edu or Laura Brichke at lmbrichk@syr.edu.

The Alumni Council is always looking to organize events. Past events have included football viewing parties, attending NCAA Men’s Basketball games at Madison Square Garden, and other happy hours. If you have interest in helping to organize or suggestions for an event, please contact Amy Marcello at amy.marcello@us.pwc.com.

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GIVE BACK TO THE SCHOOL THAT GAVE SO MUCH TO YOU
Your donations are vital to future alumni's success in the accounting industry. As always, your generous support is greatly appreciated.

Please donate to the Whitman School of Management's Lubin School of Accounting. Instructions can be found at: http://campaign.syr.edu/giving-to-su/give-now/ and remember to designate your gift to the Lubin School of Accounting.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT - Professor Joyce Zadzilka
We got to know the Class of 2010's Undergraduate Professor of the Year a little bit better!

What made you want to be a professor?

I always wanted to be a teacher. I used to teach my stuffed animals. When I was starting college, teaching jobs were not very plentiful so I chose accounting instead. I nvever gave up the dream so when I saw a job posting for Morrisville State College in the Sunday paper, I knew I would regret it if I didn't pursue it. I was hired in January 2000 so I entered the 21st century with a new career.

I always enjoyed learning and helping others learn. No one cn ever take away your education. I also saw myself as one of the only young accounting professionals at CPE events so I wanted to help create the next generation of accounting professionals. I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach at the college level.

What's your favorite part about teaching?

Without question, it is the students. I love the mix of personalities. I am so privileged that they let me into their lives as it enriches my life immensely. It is an honor to be chraged with shaping all that potential into marketable promise.

What did you want to be growing up?

Since I already answered this question above, I will say that if talent were not a barrier, I would have loved to perform in a Broadway musical. I was a cast member in two high school musicals which was the closest I got except for a brief adience participation mement at the start of "Rock of Ages" a few years ago. I call that my Broadway moment. The classroom is now my stage!

What has been your funniest classroom experience to date?

This question is really hard. I think it would be a great question for the alumni to answer! Let me preface this by saying every day in class is fun. The most fun is when the students are doing more of the talking than me.

Honestly, the only day that comes to mind is when one student walked into class about five minutes late completely soaking wet. A sudden downpour hit just before class started so if he had been on time, he would have been dry. The class was in one of the small classrooms on the third floor so there was nowhere for him to hide but in the front row. It still makes me laugh picturing our drowned rat. I often say "timing is everything," so this was one of those perfect teachable moments for arriving on time to class. I appreciate that the student did actually come to class despite his predicament.

If you could be on any TV show, which would it be and why?

The Amazing Race - My best friend, Trish, and I think we wold be a formidable team.

What is your favorite pastime, outside of work?

Travelling, but when I'm home I enloy walking all around my neighborhood and am forever trying to catch up on my assorted reading lists. I also watch a lot of sports.

If you could meet any person in the world, alive or dead, who would it be and what would yo say to them?

These were the first two that popped into my head:

Fr. Pacioli - I'd ask him why he set the rules of bookkeeping the way he did

Mark Zuckerberg - I'd request he launch all new features in the summer, not during the academic year. My students do not need any more distractions!

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MENTORING PROGRAM

This program was created in order to provide current Whitman students with a contact in the accounting industry, who can be used as a mentor for career preparation in the accounting industry. Examples of discussion topics include: advice on different careers in accounting, tips on obtaining internships/jobs, or general advice on working after college. This relationship should not be used by the student (mentee) to solicit employment from the mentor, unless the mentor initiates the discussion. There are approximately 150 Whitman students within the mentor program, with more signing up each semester.

The Accounting Alumni Council is in need of Alumni to mentor current SU students majoring, or interested in majoring in Accounting. Please contact us if you are interested.

For more information about the mentoring program, contact Cheryl Curri (cheryl.curri@gmail.com) or Cindy Hand (chand@syr.edu).

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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

The Accounting Alumni Council would like to encourage you to share any experiences you’ve had with getting your CPE credits. Examples include what classes you have taken or any fun or unique courses attended.

In addition, if anyone has any thoughts about how to improve future newsletters, ideas for presentations, or suggestions on events you would like to attend with fellow alumni, please email us at SU_ACCOUNTING_ALUM@yahoo.com.

Any feedback we get we will feature in our next edition of the newsletter.

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TRACY HALPIN MEMORIAL FUND

Tracy Halpin was an honor student in the Whitman School who died unexpectedly in January 2006. She had just finished her tenure as president of Beta Alpha Psi and had plans to accept a job offer from PricewaterhouseCoopers in Rochester after she graduated with honors in May 2006. Beta Alpha Psi has set up a memorial fund in memory of Tracy Haplin. Below is the contact information for contributions:

Contributions in Tracy’s name are being accepted by the
Beta Alpha Psi Honor Society
c/o Mitch Franklin,
Whitman School of Management,
721 University Ave.
Suite 617
Syracuse, N.Y. 13244-2450

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CURRENT WHITMAN ACCOUNTING ALUMNI COUNCIL MEMBERS

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