A Day in the Life of an Applied Accounting and Finance Student at Fordham

Fordham's Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill has tons of opportunities for students of all schools and majors. From internships, to clubs, to case competitions, to networking events, there is something for everyone at the Gabelli School. I have taken advantage of many of the Gabelli School's opportunities over my last few years here, and I am continuing to do so now as a senior. In this blog, I will be discussing my experience as an Applied Accounting and Finance major at Fordham. 

Fordham's Beta Alpha Psi students volunteering with KPMG professionals

Majoring in Applied Accounting and Finance at Fordham has been an amazing experience, and has been filled with so many amazing opportunities! I am a part of Fordham's chapter of Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) an honor society for accounting and finance majors. In this society, students have the opportunity to network with professionals from Big Four accounting firms, mid sized accounting firms, banks, and other commercial companies. As a part of our membership, students in Beta Alpha Psi also have the opportunity to participate in fulfilling community service events. My favorite BAP community service event was an event sponsored by KPMG's Family for Literacy last semester. Fordham students went to a public school in Manhattan, and read books to students. The event was a great way for Fordham students to collaborate with accounting professionals while giving back to our community. 

Majoring in Applied Accounting and Finance at 

Fordham has opened the door to so many awesome 

career opportunities! Here's a great picture of me 

at KPMG's National Intern Training in Orlando, FL

Fordham is a great school for accounting majors who want the opportunity to intern and work for large or mid sized accounting firms. Due to Fordham's proximity to Manhattan, many business students can easily intern or work at the firms during the school year or over the summer. Another one of my fantastic experiences while attending the Gabelli School was interning at KPMG for the past two summers. Last May, I also attended one of KPMG's leadership conferences with a select group of students from universities across the country. Next summer, I will return to KPMG to intern in the Audit practice in Manhattan. I am so happy that I chose to attend a school that has allowed me to become involved with so many amazing opportunities related to my major. 

Me at my amazing summer internship 

at KPMG's Montvale, NJ office!

Being an Applied Accounting and Finance student at Fordham has been exciting, challenging, and rewarding. The Gabelli School's extensive academic curriculum combined with amazing opportunities to intern and network with firms has transformed me into a well-rounded, passionate young professional. If you are a prospective student interested in a career in accounting or finance, Fordham will definitely offer you the tools and opportunities to be successful. 

Going to College to Get an Education…….and a Job.

As much as us second semester seniors don’t want to admit it, our undergraduate education is ending this May and we will need jobs. Luckily, Fordham has an abundance of resources and events to help students get just that.

First, there is our Office of Career Services. Here you can have your resumed revised, practice interview skills, and talk to professionals about career options. Many students use Career Services starting as young as Freshman or Sophomore year.  Career Services also hosts on-campus interviews, networking events, and workshops for students.

Second, Career Services manages an online platform only for Fordham students called CareerLink. The major function of CareerLink is internship/job searching. Employers directly post internship and job openings where students can apply.  Students can search by industry, job function, position type and location. There is where I found, applied and eventually accepted an offer for my first internship as a Sophomore.  

Next, Fordham hosts a number of career fairs each semester at both the Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campuses. At these events, about 100 employers typically come and set up their own table to talk to students.  Here, many students make connections for internships and jobs. There are typically three career fairs each semester, with focuses on Finance and Accounting, Arts and Media, and Non-For-Profit/Service. 

The Gabelli School of Business also has a Personal and Professional Development (PPD) center, where there are multiple career advisors for each major. Students simply can make an appointment with either a PPD advisor or their class dean for industry specific career advice. 

Employed!!

So there are an abundance of resources…but are actually students getting jobs?  I currently work part-time at an advertising agency and plan on accepting a full-time offer for post graduation.  Two of my best friends – both Accounting majors – are set with summer internships at EY and PwC for this summer. A Finance major I’m close with landed a full time analyst job with TD Bank, beginning with an on-campus interview in our Career Services office.  I even know a Rose Hill student who had an internship on the Jimmy Fallon show last semester and is now interning at Comedy Central. And keep in mind, these are just a few examples!

Fordham Connections

One of Fordham's most unique qualities is its large alumni community.  Students journey to Fordham from all over the world and become part of what we like to call, the "Ramily."  Many of these students then go on to live and work in New York City, making it extremely easy for current students to get internships or jobs with fellow Fordham grads. 

Class of 2014 Graduation

Being in New York City, Fordham has a tremendous relationship with the alumni, making it very easy to connect with employers who have either gone to Fordham or are particularly interested in hiring Fordham students.  Many of my friends that have graduated have helped provide me with connections and experiences benefiting my career search.  In fact, a good friend of mine that graduated last year helped to get me an interview with her company for a summer internship.  Her employer was excited to meet with me simply for the fact that I attended Fordham.  Employers nationwide recognize that Fordham caters to the well rounded growth of the whole person, and that is something that makes Fordham students stand out from the crowd.  If it weren't for such strong alumni connections, this would not be the case.

Wherever you go, your Fordham family follows you, making it truly something special. The feeling of community campus, amongst friends, and amongst alumni is almost indescribable. It is something I wish everyone could experience. The friendships made at Fordham are ones that are irreplaceable. These aren’t just friendships that come and go with graduation, but ones that last your entire life.

Student Spotlight: Jane Hughes

Name: Jane Hughes 
Year: Junior 
Major: International Political Economy (IPE) 
Hometown: Oreland, PA 





1) What made you choose Fordham?

I chose Fordham because i didn't have to sacrifice a real campus for proximity to a city, and everything that goes along with it! For example, things to do, internships, not feeling cut off from the world in a small town college, etc.  

2) What are you involved in here at Fordham?

I'm on the FCA e-board, I work in Fordham Career Services, I used to play intramural sports, and I volunteer with the Generation Citizen club on campus.

3) Tell us more about FCA. 

FCA is the bridge between career services and students. It's made up of students and provides a really casual way to meet employers and successful alumni, and make friends with the people in Career Services (who are a HUGE resource to have at your fingertips - especially when they know you personally!)  FCA does a lot of different events that get students in contact with employers outside of the traditional interview-process (which is strictly career services' job), by doing this we take a lot of pressure off of both the student and employer which facilitates real connections that can be invaluable when you're looking for an internship/job.

4) What are FCA's big events for the semester? 

Yesterday we had a really successful "First Impressions Carnival" that introduces underclassmen to basic things like resume building and taking a LinkedIn picture for them.  In March, we are starting our recruitment phase - we have applicants interview with us to make sure they're the best representatives we can give employers from the Fordham student body. Towards the end of the semester, we're putting on our second annual Speed Networking Event, which is a really fun night that's set up like a regular speed dating event, but has about 10 employers from all different fields sit at tables while small groups of students get a chance to sit down with them and chat about anything for a couple of minutes. Last year we had a really big turn out from students and more employers requested to be a part of it than we could accommodate, so this year we're going even bigger!

5) Tell us about your internship! 

I'm interning with the Synergos Institute, a non profit founded by Peggy Rockefeller. It focuses on capacity-building in underdeveloped countries so that all of the aid programs we (and other NGO's) donate money to can become self-reliant and continue long after the donated money/resources has stopped coming. Our work puts the countries we help in control of their futures, instead of barging in and telling them what to do in terms of development.  I'm on the development team, which means I work with our donors to determine where their gifts are most needed, and the people who actually receive them. It's a very eye-opening internship, and no, I have never been asked to get coffee or make copies. 

6) Any advice for high school students deciding where they want to spend their next four years? 

Follow your dreams, this may take a lot of work, but it is definitely worth it! Don't be afraid, college is definitely a lot less scary than it may seem! 

To learn more about FCA click here! 

Rose Hill or Lincoln Center: Why Not Both?

One of the major decisions all Fordham applicants must choose from is which campus they want to go to: the beautiful and iconic Rose Hill campus in the Bronx, or the happening, city campus smack in the middle of Manhattan. Now let's admit it- that's a really hard decision. That one check mark on Fordham’s application is bound to determine your college experience for the next four years…or will it?

City Life Lincoln Center Campus

Iconic Rose Hill Campus

While students do have to chose between which campus they want to live and primarily take classes, there are a multitude of resources and opportunities on both campuses that can be pursued by all students. I believe that this is one of the most overlooked perks of Fordham University. Not only can students from each campus take classes at the other campus, but the dining halls, facilities, libraries, and study spaces are available for everyone. Essentially everything on both campuses is at most only a Ram Van ride from students’ fingertips.

Perhaps the biggest of these perks is the ability for Fordham students to dorm on any Fordham campus during the summertime, given they take an academic Fordham summer course or have an internship. This gives students the flexibility (and affordability) to take classes or work in Manhattan during the summertime. Additionally, it gives students the opportunity for a change of scenery from their normal campus and dorms.

Just a normal summer day in Manhattan

I am a Rose Hill student but this past summer I took full advantage of this opportunity and lived in McMahon Hall at the Lincoln Center campus while I interned at an advertising agency downtown five days a week. Not only did Fordham housing alleviate a long, long commute from my house in Connecticut, but it also allowed me to explore New York City even more than I already do as a Rose Hill Student. I ran in Central Park almost every day, went to so many new restaurants, attended summer concerts, and made new friends with other students living in McMahon for the summer.

Dinner and a view from my LC apartment 

It is possible to get the best of both worlds from the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses; students just have to utilize all the resources and opportunities that they are given.  As for me, I love living in the Bronx during the year but plan to switch over to Lincoln Center again for the summer months (despite the sweaty subway rides).



For more information on summer housing with Fordham University, click here. 

Guest Blogger: Ola Makara

As we begin our spring semester at Fordham, the weather has reminded us that spring is still a ways away. Let's flashback to Summer 2014 with an interview with Fordham College at Rose Hill junior Biological Sciences major Ola Makara about her internship at MD Anderson in Texas!


How did you hear about the program?

I heard about the program via email. There are internship and research emails sent out to all the biology majors at Fordham and one was regarding the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) program at MD Anderson. I went on their website, read more about the research experience that they offered, and applied. The president of MD Anderson, Ronald DePinho, also came to Fordham to speak about cancer prevention research and statistics at the University Club in Manhattan. Although I was not able to directly attend this event, I did watch a video of his presentation, and his wise words greatly encouraged me to apply to MD Anderson’s cancer research program.

Did you know that the president of MD Anderson is a Fordham alum before you went?

I did know that Ronald DePinho was a Fordham alum before my summer experience because during my freshman year, he spoke about cancer prevention research and statistics at the University Club in Manhattan. Although I was not able to directly attend this event, I did watch a video of his presentation, and his wise words greatly encouraged me to apply to MD Anderson’s cancer research program.

Did you interact with him at all?

I actually got to meet Dr. DePinho toward the end of my summer! Connecting with such a successful individual who once walked through the same halls of Keating and took the same science courses as I did was a really amazing feeling. He wished me luck in all my future endeavors and reminded me that with self-determination and good communication, my generation had the capability to make extraordinary contributions- not only to science, but also to the world. 

Ola and Dr. DePinho

What kind of work did you do/describe a typical day?

The admissions committee works very thoroughly to match accepted summer students with an appropriate Principal Investigator. However, during the application process, students have the opportunity to select a Principal Investigator that they would like to work with and submit a justification as to why. I was lucky enough to get paired with my top choice- Dr. Russell Broaddus, M.D/Ph.D. The Broaddus lab primarily studies the molecular pathogenesis of endometrial cancer, the number most common cancer diagnosed in women. 

This summer, my particular project focused on adenosine signaling as a potential therapeutic target for metastatic endometrial cancer. This is an extremely important step in endometrial cancer research, because as of right now, late-stage endometrial carcinomas are essentially incurable.

One thing that I realized about being a scientist is that it is not a 9 to 5 job. You cater your hours based on the particular experiments you are running and the time points you are collecting. My days could begin as early as 6 am and end as late as 1 am. One experiment could take up to two hours to complete; another could take up to two days. I would lie if I said that research wasn’t tedious- oftentimes, it can be. However, when you love what you’re doing, you can’t wait to hop out of bed in the mornings and whip on your lab coat. You don’t perceive your work as a “job”, but rather as a hobby.

Would you do it again?

I was fortunate enough to be invited to continue my research for the summer of 2015 and I am super excited to be returning to the Texas Medical Center to spend another fantastic 10 weeks with my PI, my post doc, and the most memorable summer students that you meet along the way! Ideally, I will be rerunning my experiments in mouse models in order to see if adenosine signaling could potentially work in humans. 

Checking out some slides

 
What kinds of things did you learn that you could apply to other aspects of your life?

I gained a lot of knowledge this summer, whether it was from the lab or from prominent scientists during Grand Rounds. However, my most memorable learning experience stemmed from my lunch breaks at MD Anderson’s cafeteria, where cancer patients came to eat and spend time with their visiting families. Seeing and interacting with patients of all ages made me realize what exactly it is that I’m fighting for. They ignited my passion and my sense of purpose. For this, I cannot be grateful enough.   

What other schools were represented?

CPRIT stands for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Each year, with the help and funding of CPRIT, MD Anderson Cancer center selects fifty undergraduate students from all over the United States and the world. I was the first and only Fordham student accepted into the program. There were students who hailed from many different institutions, ranging from in-state schools like The University of Texas, all the way to Oxford University out in the UK. However, the most represented schools included The University of Notre Dame, Harvard University, and Rice University, to name a few. 

Has it opened other options to you?

Absolutely! I was strictly adhering to a pre-med track, but now I’m definitely considering graduate school and getting a PhD!

Ola at her research presentation

The Fordham network is HUGE! You can find alumni in California, Texas, Florida, London, Australia, and everywhere in between. These connections can lead to internships, references, and sometimes even jobs!