On September 29, the Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance (AEF) hosted Eck, Schafer & Punke, LLP (ESP) on campus for a Meet the Firm event focused on connection, conversation, and career exploration between the firm and department students.

The program allowed students to step outside the classroom and connect with accounting professionals. Students asked questions, learned about different career paths, heard about internship and employment opportunities, and gained a better understanding of what life in the profession can look like. Representing ESP were Kristi Corpin, Jim Hogge, Jason Jones, Sandy Jones, and Sam Sgro. They spent the evening talking with students, sharing their experiences, answering questions, and providing great insight into the accounting profession. For many students, events like this can make the transition from classroom learning to the professional world feel more real and more approachable. It was also an opportunity to build relationships.

Hosting events like this and connecting with firms in this setting may lead to an internship, a future job opportunity, professional guidance, or simply a clearer idea of what direction a student may want to take after graduation. The Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance, under the leadership of AEF Department Chair Salem Boumediene, is grateful to the Eck, Schafer & Punke, LLP team for spending the evening with our students and for sharing their knowledge and experiences. We also thank the students, faculty, and staff who participated and helped make this a successful occasion. The AEF department looks forward to more opportunities like these, where students can interact, ask questions, build confidence, and start forming relationships that benefit them well beyond the classroom.