Accounting Major
"When I began my studies at IUP, I was confident I would get a job after graduation. However, coming from tiny Coalport, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, one of the smallest towns in the state, I never imagined that I would be moving to Pittsburgh to work for one of the largest professional service firms in the world! Nor did I expect that I would grow so much as a young professional in just four years. Furthermore, I didn't expect to establish such close relationships with professors, classmates, and alumni. I will forever be grateful to IUP and the Eberly College of Business for helping me to learn the skills necessary to compete in the professional world, and to professors and alumni who helped me live up to my full potential.
"I grew up in Coalport, a tiny town of no more than 550 people. I knew when I went to college that I wanted to leave this small town and venture out in the world by attending a large university, while being mindful of costs. After visiting IUP and touring the Eberly College of Business and IT, I was confident that I could earn a quality business degree from the school. I was also given the opportunity to become a member of the Business Honors Programa program which allowed me to make friendships that would last throughout my four years at IUP and beyond. Participation in the honors program not only gave me connections to classmates throughout different business disciplines, but it also afforded me the opportunity to travel farther away from Coalport than I had ever imaginedto India where I experienced the culture of a developing country.
"Although I was unsure of what major to pursue when I initially began college, as I became acquainted with the business school, I was immediately attracted to the opportunities available in and the reputation of Eberly's accounting program. Throughout my courses, I formed relationships with professors who mentored and encouraged me to become a leader within the student body. The highlight of my college career was serving as the president to the Student Accounting Association in 2017. In this role, I was assigned the task of overseeing three other officers and 15 chairs of the organization to ensure that operations ran smoothly. This included overseeing the major events that the organization hosts including the accounting career fair and annual recognition dinner. In addition to helping orchestrate the events that the Student Accounting Association is known for, I also planned the first ever speed networking event for accounting majors on campus. Although it was a large undertaking, it was an incredibly rewarding experience. Serving as president to such an active student organization on campus was a very fulfilling experience, which has left me with an entirely new skill set to bring to the workforce. Due to this role, I now have a more developed sense of leadership, responsibility, and communication.
"Throughout college, I also served as a member of the S&T Bank Student Advisory Council, the Student Accounting Association's 2016 community service chairperson, a student member of the Eberly Strategic Planning Committee, a Becker campus ambassador, and as a tutor for financial and managerial accounting courses. As my time at IUP comes to end, I feel very fortunate for the experiences and knowledge base that IUP and the Eberly College of Business have provided me with."
After graduation, Katie will start in a full-time position with Deloitte in their Pittsburgh office.