The Student Accounting Association hosted Susan Cosper ’92 on April 13, 2018. Cosper is an Eberly College of Business Hall of Distinction member and is currently the technical director at the Financial Accounting Standards Board in Connecticut. FASB is the primary body responsible for setting accounting principles and interpreting United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
Cosper’s meeting was a unique opportunity for current accounting students to hear from an alumna who was able to reach the pinnacle of her profession despite humble beginnings. When Cosper came to IUP, she was a first-generation college student with drive and determination to be successful. Her passion for accounting enabled her to take a position with the Big 8 accounting firm, Coopers and Lybrand (later merging with Price Waterhouse) in Pittsburgh, and quickly move through the ranks. She spent time working in London and New Jersey before becoming a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. From there, Cosper accepted a position with FASB and has flourished in her career ever since.
Throughout the meeting, Cosper stressed that accounting students from IUP are as well prepared, if not better prepared, than students from any other university in the United States. The technical and professional foundation she received at IUP prepared her for the competitive field of public accounting, and she hopes that future IUP alumni are able to follow in her footsteps. Cosper informed the students about available positions in FASB for new graduates which can help distinguish them from their peers. She offered insightful tips and encouragement, both professional and personal in nature, to the members in attendance. The opportunity to learn from an extremely accomplished alumna was extremely valuable to the members of the SAA.
The Student Accounting Association’s next event will be on April 19 at 5:00 p.m. at the Rustic Lodge. This event will be the annual Recognition Dinner, which is the premier networking opportunity provided by the SAA in the spring semester. Currently, 184 students, faculty, and professionals are expected to attend.
—Anthony Maticic, SAA President