Opportunities for Our Students
Accounting Student Kick-off Meeting
The annual accounting student Kick-off Meeting is held at the beginning of each fall semester. Here we inform students of any changes in accounting program requirements, share with them information about the student clubs, and encourage them to pursue internship opportunities. Speakers include outstanding alumni and accounting professionals, who provide valuable insights into the numerous opportunities in the professional world and encourage students to be proactive in their education by seizing opportunities as they come.
Meet the Firms & Industry Night
The annual "Meet the Firms & Industry Night" is an opportunity for students to meet with accounting professionals, as well as to learn more about the various career tracks they may pursue in the accounting profession. This September event, sponsored by the School of Accountancy (SOA) attracts nearly 100 professionals representing all of the national accounting firms, many regional and local firms, financial planning firms, governmental agencies, and private corporations. In addition to providing networking and educational opportunities for students, this activity also provides professionals the opportunity to meet outstanding students from Utah State University.
Co–operative Internships
Although internships are not required in accounting-degree programs, SOA students are strongly encouraged and counseled to participate in one. Each year, approximately 60 students accept accounting internships at the local, national, and international levels. These cooperative education experiences provide students with valuable real-world work experience and very often result in job offers after graduation.
Intermountain Accounting Seminar
Each year since 1977, the SOA has hosted an annual seminar for accounting professionals. This day-long seminar is cosponsored by Beta Alpha Psi, the Utah Association of CPAs, and USU Partners in Business. In recent years, the seminar has boasted keynote speakers from the very top echelons of the accounting profession, including the former chief accountant of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the chairman of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, both the chairman and the president of the Institute of Management Accountants, the president of the American Accounting Association, the chairman of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, CEOs and CFOs of large national corporations, and national partners of the largest CPA firms. All accounting students have the opportunity to attend this event at no cost. An accounting student acts as seminar coordinator, and several other students are hosts to the visiting professionals. SOA students can also attend other seminars sponsored by Partners in Business, including seminars on financial services and banking, operational excellence, information technology, and women in business.
Deloitte Tax Case Study Competition
Each year, the SOA sponsors a graduate team and an undergraduate team to compete against approximately 100 teams from the top university tax programs across the country. The initial competition takes place at eight regional locations. From that competition, the best six graduate and six undergraduate teams in the nation earn the right to participate at the national level. For the past five consecutive years, USU’s graduate tax team has been selected as one of the top six national teams. The undergraduate tax team has also competed at the national level on three occasions.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
The SOA emphasizes participation in service learning activities. The VITA program is one such program. Each spring, dozens of accounting majors donate hundreds of hours in volunteer service preparing tax returns for students and community members. The VITA program not only allows students to perform a needed service, but it also allows them to enhance applied research skills.
Career Day
One day each fall accounting majors can take part in Career Day and spend the morning with a participating public accounting firm of their choice. Students are able to examine the daily life and working environment of a CPA through tours, presentations, and shadowing experiences. At the conclusion of the morning, the student and professional participants gather at a central location for lunch and a keynote speech. Salt Lake, Provo and Orem area firms (including the Big Four), as well as local firms participate in this event.
Professor for a Day
Each semester, a professional accountant – usually a member of the SOA Advisory Board – spends a day at USU. The "professor for a day" guest lectures in the Accounting 2020 class, teaching students about what the accounting world is like and what it takes to become a successful working professional. Also, "office hours" are held where students have opportunities to sign up for time slots to meet with the visiting professional one-on-one.
Deloitte Student Case Study Seminar
Each year, six top School of Accountancy students are invited to participate in the Deloitte student case study seminar. Practicing CPAs conduct this inter-collegiate activity using case situations developed from the firm’s actual accounting and auditing practice. Students have praised the seminar as a great opportunity to interact with audit partners and top students from other accounting programs, as well as gain a better understanding of practical accounting issues.