The Disclosure - Spring 2013
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Transcript of The Disclosure - Spring 2013
honor’s society in the fields of
Accounting, Finance and MIS.
Sincerely,
Vivian Carrasquero
Welcome to Beta Alpha Psi,
Eta Iota “Superior” Chapter.
We are the international hon-
orary organization for financial
information professionals.
Since 1986, we have been
committed to helping FIU’s top
Accounting, Finance and MIS
students fulfill their dreams of
transitioning from students to
professionals. At the Eta Iota
chapter, we recognize excel-
lence in academic achieve-
ments and encourage diversi-
ty. We promote a sense of
responsibility towards ethical
behavior, in addition to social
and community involvement.
Our Spring 2013 executive
board has been working thor-
oughly to plan various events
for our new candidates and
returning members, These
events include weekly firm
presentations by national,
regional and local firms. We
will also conduct mock inter-
views, resume critiques, com-
munity service, networking
socials, professional develop-
ment workshops and tutoring.
With our successful Beta Bud-
dy Program, our candidates
also have a one-on-one men-
tor who helps prepare our
candidates for these events
and socials.
We encourage you to join us
this Spring 2013 semester and
become part of an elite, highly
-recognized and respected
Message From the President I N S I D E T H I S
I S S U E :
Fall Executive
Board 2
BAΨ Orientation 3
PwC 4
Beta Buddy Social 5
Ahead of the
Game 6
Regions Bank 7
KPMG
Ernst & Young
8
Johnson & Johnson
Bank of America
9
Target 10
E T A I O T A
“ S U P E R I O R ” C H A P T E R
The Disclosure S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 V O L U M E V I , I S S U E I
P A G E 2 Spring 2013 Executive Board
Ms. Vivian Carrasquero is the President of BAP. “Vivi” is majoring in ac-counting. In addition to excelling in her duties as president, she is currently interning with Grant Thornton. With her leader-ship, she has made our semester successful for everyone involved.
Mr. Stephin Janis is the new President-Elect who is majoring in accounting. Stepin was responsible for organizing “Ahead of the Game: Accounting and Business Expo.” He will assume the presidency in the fall of 2013.
The new VP of Profes-sional Affairs is Mr. Erie Reyes. Erie is a senior majoring in accounting who will be graduating this summer. He is our exter-nal relations liaison and responsible for ensuring our candidates are able to network and learn from industry-leading compa-nies.
Ms. Anady Arrastia is the
VP of Membership who is dual majoring in fi-nance and accounting and will be graduating in the fall. She is responsi-ble for ensuring our can-didates fulfill pledges, are aware of the point sys-tem for initiation, and communicates with all members/candidates through weekly emails.
Our trusted new Treasur-er is Mr. Raul de la Tor-re. He is a senior major-ing in accounting, who is graduating this Fall. With Raul as treasurer, we can rest assured that Beta will have sufficient funds to run efficiently this semester. Additional-ly, he is responsible for organizing the food and drinks at Beta’s general meetings and events. Mr. Javier Diaz is our Secretary. He is majoring in accounting and will be graduating next spring. He ensures that every-one is on the same page and the details are being
addressed. Javier also planned the Executive Board’s Regional's trip and organizes the com-munity service events for the benefit of our mem-bers.
Mr. Ronnie Figueroa is our Webmaster who will be graduating this Fall with a Bachelor of Ac-counting. He is responsi-ble for maintaining the website (bapfiu.org), the newly created “Beta Store” and communi-cating important infor-mation and news on BAPFIU’s social media outlets. He is also in charge of publishing The Disclosure newsletter.
From left to right on top:
Vivian Carrasquero
Stephin Janis
Anady Arrastia
Raul De La Torre
From Left to Right, Bottom
Javier Diaz
Ronnie Figueroa
Erie Reyes
T H E D I S C L O S U R E
P A G E 3
“The people and
experiences that you
encounter in Beta
Alpha Psi are
unbelievable and is
something that is I
will cherish”
Beta Alpha Psi’s orientation’s
informed new candidates of the prestigious
business honor society. The orientation
took place on January 11, 2013 and al-
lowed returning members to meet new
candidates and introduce them to the
Spring 2013 Executive Board. The orienta-
tion demonstrated how Accounting, Fi-
nance, and MIS students can benefit by
becoming members of Beta Alpha Psi. Sev-
eral returning members spoke of opportuni-
ties they’ve received through their involve-
ment with Beta. Former E-Board members
were in attendance and encouraged the new
wave of candidates to take advantage of the
organization and grow into professionals.
To be initiated into the organiza-
tion at the end of the semester, each candi-
date must attend a certain number of meet-
ings, socials, tutoring sessions, community
services, and other student involvements.
After students were informed of the re-
quirements for initiation and the presenta-
tion ended, both candidates and members
completed an interactive game where they
learned more about each other and discovered
similarities.
The orientation concluded with a
trip to Dave and Busters in Dolphin Mall. The
social was more casual. It let people get to
know each other and learn their colleague’s
majors, classes, and experiences being in Beta
Alpha Psi. It offered a casual atmosphere
where everyone enjoyed good food, fun
games, great music and amazing people.
All in all, the orientation and social
that Beta Alpha Psi has every semester is very
helpful for students seeking information
about an organization that can help them with
internships, resume critiques, interview skills,
and much more. The people and experiences
that you encounter in Beta Alpha Psi are un-
believable and is something that I will cher-
ish.
T H E D I S C L O S U R E
Lauren Angat
Bachelor of
Business
Administration
December 2014
P A G E 4 V O L U M E V I , I S S U E I
It was Beta Alpha
Psi’s second Friday meeting
and hopes were high for a won-
derful semester along with ex-
citing presentations. PwC ex-
ceeded our expectations for an
exciting presentation by provid-
ing us with an engaging work-
shop about ‘How to Brand
Yourself’. The workshop fo-
cused on a vibrant range of col-
ors: red, orange, yellow, green,
blue and purple. The concept of
the power of color was intro-
duced in a video that exempli-
fied different company logos
and the brands they have creat-
ed for themselves through their
particular use of color. The
range of colors were then
flashed before us along with
words that fit certain character-
istics of each color such as:
power, trustworthy, ambition,
determination, nature, warmth,
optimism, and magic. We were
given a moment to truly take in
each color along with its intrinsic
personality and choose a color
that best fit our own personality.
After choosing our colors, we
grouped into the corresponding
color’s team and discussed why
we chose that color.
It was very interesting
to see that within a team, people
chose the same color but for dif-
ferent reasons. The presentation
went on to encourage using
‘your color’ and what it repre-
sents to brand yourself in a posi-
tive light. The reality is that the
best teams consist of different
colors because each person has
different but equally important
characteristics to offer. Thus, I
believe that what PwC was try-
ing to convey was that the future
is bright and succeeding in our
increasingly globalized world
requires a rainbow of color.
The largest of the big
four accounting firms, Price-
waterhouseCoopers, took the
audience into an exciting ad-
venture of self-awareness on
Friday, January 25, 2013.
PricewaterhouseCoopers is not
your typical accounting firm—
they constantly strive for great-
ness and their unique Power-
Point presentation showed that.
We were broken into groups
according to the color of our
personalities. This was a small
leadership workshop in which
we learned about ourselves and
our peers. We also had to or-
ganize a list of companies with
our color. I identified with the
color blue. Similarly, our group
was charged with identifying
companies like IBM, JetBlue,
Wal-Mart, etc. whose logos are
the same color.
During the night, PwC
also showcased various out-of-
state opportunities to those inter-
ested in areas such as Boston.
Whitney Wilson, campus recruiter
for FIU told the students about the
Elevate Leadership Program,
which “is a selective program for
high-achieving college students
interested in starting a fast paced
career in the professional services
industry.” Also, freshmen and
sophomores were encouraged to
apply to the Start Internship Expe-
rience which allows students to
work in teams for professional
development. In addition, Jenna
Walters, previous Beta Alpha
Psi’s treasurer, shared her experi-
ence in PwC as a recent intern and
how much knowledge she’s at-
taining.
I learn so much valua-
ble information from PwC and
this experience has made me
realize the next steps in the pro-
cess. As a junior, I’m looking
forward to the summer leader-
ship programs and must start
applying through Career Man-
agement Services.
Laura Concepcion,
Bachelor of Accounting
December 2013
Rummesa
Abrar,
Bachelor of
Accounting
Spring 2014
Whitney Wilson,
Campus Sourcing
Manager
P A G E 5
“The skills I’ve
learned in such a
short period of
time have really
been developed
by surrounding
myself with
other individuals
in this
organization.”
On the morning of
February 3rd, candidates
and members of Beta Alpha
Psi came together in Tami-
ami Park for a day of
games and bonding. The
day started with a plethora
of different snacks and
drinks to energize the group
for the games ahead. First up was
an egg toss. It was amazing to see
the communication skills along-
side teamwork that ensued. The
winning team was nearly 20 yards
apart! Next was a three-legged
race. In the pairing of members
with new candidates, it was appar-
ent that each person was there to
help and support the up-and-
coming group of Betas. Finally, in
teams of about 5, each individual
had a turn to bring a spoonful of
water back to a bowl in need of
filling. This activity showed what
I had been seeing from the start of
the day: great communication,
teamwork and constant support. It
was in this moment that I knew I
was making a great decision to join
Beta Alpha Psi. The skills I’ve
learned in such a short period of
time have really been developed by
surrounding myself with other indi-
viduals in this organization.
Next thing I know I see a
bunch of pies topped with whipped
cream being passed around with all
eyes on the E-board. This activity
was a great way to wind down the
day, while at the same time raising
funds for the organization. This is
one tradition I hope never ends!
T H E D I S C L O S U R E
Laura Smith,
Bachelor of
Business
Administration
2014
Annual Pie-the-
Eboard
P A G E 6
Ahead of the Game is Beta Alpha Psi’s career expo
for accounting, finance, and MIS-
majors held every fall and spring
semester at Florida International
University. On January 31, 2013,
I was among the hundreds who
attended this exciting event. As an
accounting major and member of
Beta Alpha Psi, this was my sec-
ond time attending. Overall, I was
impressed with each of the repre-
sentative’s ability to make us feel
relaxed and confident as they
shared their experiences within
their firm and the overall culture
within it. I was especially appre-
ciative when I saw familiar faces
from the previous Ahead of the
Game because it showed the mu-
tual interest these firms have for
us as aspiring professionals.
What I enjoyed the most
about this experience was learning
firsthand from the representatives
Ahead of the Game,
our premier accounting and
business expo is our largest re-
cruiting event The event itself is
a collaboration between Beta
Alpha Psi, ALPFA, FIU School
of Accounting, Business Career
Services, and the different
firms. It brings hundreds of stu-
dents together and allows them
the opportunity to network with
various notable employers. It
has brought about many success
stories over the years and this
year was no exception.
Ahead of the Game
was quite a unique experience
for me this semester. Unlike this
past fall semester, in which I
was simply an attendee, this
Rachel
Johnson,
Bachelor of
Accounting
Spring 2014
about their respective firm. The
more I spoke with them, the more I
was amazed at how passionate they
were about what they did. It’s in-
spiring to know that there are so
many people in the accounting
field who are willing to help and
are passionate about what they do.
I hope to join them one day as a
confident, knowledgeable profes-
sional looking for the next genera-
tion of bright and eager FIU stu-
dents.
Even though this was my
second opportunity to attend
Ahead of the Game, I look forward
to continuing to connect with the
firms moving forward. I’d like to
thank all the firms who were in
attendance for their continued sup-
port and sponsorship. Their
demonstrated commitment to
FIU’s students is appreciated.
Ahead of the Game
year I was put in charge of organ-
izing it as President-elect of Beta
Alpha Psi. The opportunity al-
lowed me a chance to understand
the ins and outs of what goes into
organizing such as high-profile
event. Preparation for this year’s
Ahead of the Game dates back to
the conclusion of the event last
fall.
The expo wasn’t without
its challenges, the most prominent
ones being: making sure students
were registered and had approved
resumes, confirming the attend-
ance of the different firms and
organizing the layout of the room.
In an effort to motivate students
to explore different opportunities
and speak with everyone, students
were given stickers for network-
ing with companies outside of the
big 4 accounting firms. Those
students who collected eight or
more were awarded by their re-
spective organizations.
In the end, everything
fell into place as the event hosted
more than 25 different employ-
ers with over 250 students in
attendance. It was quite a suc-
cess and when it was all said and
done, I was glad to see that quite
a few students walked away with
potential leads on internship or
full time positions. Stephin Janis,
Bachelor of
Accounting
Spring 2014
In closing, I’d
like to give my sincerest
thanks to everyone in-
volved.
Beta Students
Networking at
Ahead of the
Game.
P A G E 7
“I was nervous
and excited at the
same time, but
the
representatives of
Regions made the
experience an
excellent one“
Regions Bank had
an informative presentation
that allowed students to see
the various careers offered
within the company. The
program that was highlight-
ed was the Management As-
sociate Program, which is
offered to students with a
Bachelor’s Degree. This two
- phase program lasts 16
weeks. Phase I is the hands-
on training portion of the
program, while Phase II is
the placement post program.
Once you are in Phase II,
you are placed where you fit
best in service lines ranging
from credit underwriting,
risk analytics or commercial
branching.
Regions Bank
brought two college gradu-
ates who shared their expe-
riences in the Associates
Program and gave first-
hand accounts on what they
went through and how the
program really helped them
in seeing where they want-
ed to take their careers.
One of the associates with-
in the program shared a
conversation he had with
the Chief Executive Officer
of Regions. I was really
impressed by that because
it seems like Regions is a
friendly environment in
which the workers know
each other and have close-
knit relationships. This is
something that I find to be
very important in any busi-
ness establishment.
This was the first
presentation of the spring
semester and it was also
my first networking experi-
ence. I was nervous and
excited at the same time,
but the representatives of
Regions made the experi-
ence an excellent one.
Overall, I found the
presentation to be enlight-
ening and the representa-
tives eager to answer ques-
tions and network with the
students who attended.
T H E D I S C L O S U R E
Isabella
Landazabal
Bachelor of
Business
Administration
Summer 2014
P A G E 8 V O L U M E V I , I S S U E I
Ronnie
Figueroa,
Bachelor of
Accounting
December 2013
During KPMG’s presenta-
tion for members of Beta Alpha Psi
and ALPFA, the firm addressed the
process for becoming part of the
KPMG family. The firm outlined
FIU’s Best Practices Policy which
explains the steps firms follow to
recruit FIU students for their sum-
mer leadership programs, intern-
ships, and full-time hires. The firm
adheres to these standards to make
sure their recruits are ready for the
challenges awaiting their profes-
sional careers. Finally, the firm
spoke of the unique experiences
students can encounter throughout
the summer leadership program—a
two day event which features team-
building activities, networking with
senior KPMG staff and interactive
activities to familiarize students
with KPMG’s unique culture.
KPMG closed with a Fami-
ly Feud like game where eight par-
ticipants were called upon to answer
questions. Seventy three KPMG
staffers were surveyed on topics
ranging from benefits of working
for the firm to mind-benders. In the
end, all the participants, including
myself, took home thermos bearing
the firm logo and an enthusiasm to
learn more about KPMG and oppor-
tunities within the firm.
Ernst & Young’s firm
presentation regarding transforming
a student into a professional was
quite informative. It aligned perfect-
ly with Beta Alpha Psi’s goal – “To
help transition students into the pro-
fessionals of tomorrow.” The
presentation featured Albert Tama-
yo, Jefferson Johnson, Richard Bru-
guera, and several of their col-
leagues along with some interns.
Ten unique differences from the life
of a student to that of a professional
were discussed, with the most prom-
inent ones being: no more 10 hours
of sleep, being tested every day, not
twice a semester and not to expect
the typical 9 to 5 job. What I per-
sonally liked about the presentation
was that everyone from Ernst &
Young was very down to earth and
realistic about the changes the stu-
dents will encounter. They didn’t
sugarcoat anything for students and
gave their honest synopsis on what
to expect. Afterwards, a brief net-
working session ensued which al-
lowed our new candidates, as well
as members, to get to know the
E&Y team one-on-one.
Members and candidates
had the opportunity to fire away
their questions towards the E&Y
team who gladly answered each and
every one of them. Having attended
last fall as well as this spring’s
presentation, I can say that E&Y has
brought something new to the table
each time. Last fall’s presentation
highlighted flexibility as the under-
lying theme while this spring fo-
cused more on the student’s life
after graduation. Overall, I would
like to give my sincerest thanks on
behalf of Beta Alpha Psi to the E&Y
team for coming out this semester to
present, despite it being during the
hectic busy season.
Stephin Janis,
Bachelor of
Accounting
Spring 2014
BAP Members
Participate in
KPMG’s fun games
P A G E 9
Johnson & Johnson gave an
interactive presentation to the business
honor societies Beta Alpha Psi and
ALPFA on January 25, 2013. The compa-
ny has 126 years of outstanding perfor-
mance, branching out into more than 250
companies in more than 60 countries with
approximately 129,000 employees. Ligia
Martinez, Senior Financial Analyst and
Florida International University alumnus,
gave an enlightening presentation about
the company to those students in attend-
ance. She had two assistants who are cur-
rently enrolled in school and have in-
terned with the company. It was benefi-
cial to hear the first-hand experiences of
the two students.
A segment of the presentation
that caught my attention was the compa-
ny’s credo. The core values that guide the
company’s decision-making are indicated
in their credo. The credo allows them to
put the desires and the well-being of the
people they serve as their main goal.
Their credo helps people focus on cus-
tomers, employees, communities and
stockholders.
Johnson & Johnson has an annu-
al University Case Competition that al-
lows students to gain real world experi-
ence in the field of Corporate Finance and
develop analytical and financial modeling
skills. This is a great opportunity for stu-
dents to form groups to work on a real
case relating to their major. There is an on
-campus competition where each group
will present and the winner will move on
to New Brunswick, New Jersey where
they will compete at the Johnson & John-
son headquarters.
Overall, Johnson & Johnson
presentation was both informative and
valuable.
Bank of America’s presenta-
tion introduced innumerable job and
internship opportunities to Finance and
Accounting majors. The multinational
banking and financial services corpora-
tion aids people in over 150 countries
and has been recognized for their online
banking with approximately 30 million
active users.
An incredible opportunity for
juniors enrolled in colleges is the CFO
Group Internship which is located in
Charlotte, North Carolina. This ten-week
summer program focuses on students
who plan on graduating in December
2013- May 2014. The internship is
aimed at juniors and gives them the abil-
ity to get to know the corporation, gain
invaluable experience and be involved in
hands-on activities. A benefit of success-
fully completing the internship is a posi-
tion with Bank of America once you
graduate. The ability of launching your
career immediately after graduation
makes opportunities with Bank of Amer-
ica worthwhile.
The types of skills that are im-
perative to have in order to obtain a ca-
reer in Bank of America include: good
oral and written communication, good
analytical ability, basic finance and ac-
counting knowledge, international/global
perspective, and proficiency with Mi-
crosoft Excel and Access.
Bank of America concluded the
meeting by illustrating why the corpora-
tion is a great environment for future
opportunities. Their service, years of
experience and globalization is what
attracts individuals to their successful
corporation.
Lauren Angat
Former BAΨ
Secretary Nicholas
Holch shares his expe-
riences with Bank of
America.
P A G E 1 0
“The company is
looking for people
who have people
skills, are goal-
oriented, and are
willing to adapt
to the company’s
culture. ”
We had the pleasure of attend-
ing a presentation from Target hosted by
representative Travis White who over-
sees 50 stores in his role as District Man-
ager. Accompanying him where two FIU
students who are both now Executive
Team Leaders in local Target stores.
Some keys points that he touched on
were in reference to the company’s vi-
sion to expand its operations in Canada
with 150 stores. Another noteworthy
point was the company’s commitment to
community involvement. Target pledges
to contribute over $4 million in proceeds
towards community initiatives each
week. Travis then went on to elaborate
on the internship program offered by
Target. The internship provides you with
the skills and knowledge to be able to
hold an Executive Team Leader position
within Target. The internship heavily
emphasizes team development. The com-
pany is looking for people who have peo-
ple skills, are goal-oriented, and are will-
ing to adapt to the company’s culture.
Intern evaluations will be made through
several “leadership assessments.” The
assessments continue into the Executive
Team Leaders (ETL) program as a way
to groom the next leaders of Target.
Working as an Executive Team
Leader has its share of challenges; forcing
members to be flexible and delegate their
time and mandating team cohesiveness.
Despite the challenges, Target offers a
plethora of growth and incentives within
the ETL position such as bonuses for sales,
reviews, and overall performance based on
achieving company goals. For those who
do not want to work in a store environment
and would rather go the corporate route,
opportunities are currently available in the
company headquarters in Minneap-
olis.
T H E D I S C L O S U R E
Antario
Scruggs
Bachelor of
Business
Administration
Spring 2014
Representatives from
Target discuss oppor-
tunities for students