Accounting
Why choose a career in Accounting
Accounting is a key function for any business: keeping score and tracking the progress of the business so that managers and owners can make better decisions. Every organization needs accountants, because accounting is the language of business. Accounting students have many career path options!
Explore Careers in Accounting
Black School of Business alumni share their knowledge and expertise in the field. They give you information about accounting in general, and also describe their experiences in private or public accounting. Click on the tabs below to find out more!
What Accountants Do - Carl Sizer, 2011 Behrend accounting graduate and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at The Primary Health Network in Sharon, PA, discusses the role accountants play and the benefits of considering majoring in Accounting at Penn State Behrend.
Become a Successful Accounting Student - Senior student majoring in Accounting and Finance with a minor in Management Information Systems shares his experience at Behrend, as he completes his journey. In this podcast, you will learn how he ended up with these specific majors and how he managed his coursework. If you are interested in majoring in accounting or finance and learning about applying for internships, this vodcast is for you! Using an Accounting Degree to Support your Entrepreneurial Goals - Alumus Karen Hobaugh shares her story of starting her career with “not” her dream job, but takes each twist in the road ahead to forge the path to where she wants to be – just in time to fact the pandemic’s impact on her new business. Listen to Karen’s story as she kept forging ahead, and used her accounting degree each step of the way to navigate the financial resources available to her to help her business survive and then thrive.
A Career at PwC - Meilyng Gonzalez Adams discusses her journey from her home in Puerto Rico to her latest position for a big accounting firm in New York City. She talks about her decision to come to Behrend, her interests in international business, taking the Certified Public Accountant exam, internships, and landing a job for a big company.
Making your Way up to a Big Four Company - Meet Steve Valley, Penn State Behrend 2019 alum, who graduated with a dual major in Accounting and Finance and a minor in Management Information Systems, and is currently working in financial services at Ernst and Young. He talks about internship opportunities, networking, and the importance of getting a CPA license for career advancement.
Accounting Certifications – Standing Out from the Crowd - Carl Sizer, 2011 Penn State Behrend Accounting graduate, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at The Primary Health Network in Sharon, PA, discusses the variety of professional accounting certifications available, the importance of attaining them, and the value they provide to one’s overall career. He also touches on the importance of standing out from the crowd by taking advantage of college to get involved in the community and acquire soft skills. Getting a Job at an International Accounting Firm - Are you wondering what job opportunities await graduates with an accounting degree? What type of internship opportunities you may have while working on your degree? How much time you will need to prepare for a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam? Listen to this podcast and learn about Nicole Overby’s journey at Behrend: how she prepared for the CPA exam and how the internships she participated in helped her land a job with PwC. Career Changes: Certified Public Accountant Turned Chief Financial Officer - Steven Gresh discusses his journey from an accounting graduate to the Chief Financial Officer of a local nonprofit here in Erie, PA. With extensive experience in both public and private accounting, listen to his take on the differences between the two industries and be sure to stick around to the end for some timeless advice to current and prospective accounting students! Becoming a Chief Financial Officer - Joshua Trey Miller discusses his career path as a non-Certified Public Accountant. Becoming a Certified Public Accountant is not always necessary depending on one’s career path. Josh has proven that rising to the level of Chief Financial Officer was not dependent on becoming a Certified Public Accountant. Working at a Fortune 500 Firm - Amy Chapman, Penn State Behrend Accounting alum, describes his career path. She talks about how she lined up internships to gain a better understanding of what she wanted to do after college, discusses the importance of networking and how she secured a job at a Fortune 500 firm.
Working at National Public Radio - Louis Micheli, Penn State Behrend Accounting alum, describes his career path from starting as a biology major at Penn State Behrend to becoming Accounts Receivable Manager at NPR.
A First Experience in Accounting before Starting a Business - Karen Hobaugh, 2010 Penn State Behrend Accounting Alumna, talks about how she gained experience in accounting by working at ADP before moving on and starting her own business in the hair styling business.
Accounting and Finance Career Opportunities in the Private Industry - Listen to this podcast with Dan Kriegel, Senior Finance Manager at LifeMade Products, and learn about his job responsibilities, his journey at Behrend, preparing for the CFA and CMA exams, and his interesting career path in the accounting and finance areas. Building a Successful Career at a Big International Accounting Firm - Robin Horvatin discusses her journey from a newly minted analyst, nine days after graduating, to becoming a senior manager at Accenture 17 years later. Working in Accenture’s Pittsburgh office, Robin has never strayed from the company and says that the importance of being open-minded, coachable, and always willing to learn have helped drive her success. A Great Accounting Career without a Certified Public Accountant Exam - Robin Horvatin discusses her career path as a non-Certified Public Accountant. While many accounting graduates target to become Certified Public Accountants, it’s not for everyone! Robin rose within her company without being certified. Career Changes: Certified Public Accountant Turned Chief Financial Officer - Steven Gresh discusses his journey from an accounting graduate to the Chief Financial Officer of a local nonprofit here in Erie, PA. With extensive experience in both public and private accounting, listen to his take on the differences between the two industries and be sure to stick around to the end for some timeless advice to current and prospective accounting students!