2015 ERC Booklet

National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA TPEASRTTIMICOIPNAINALTS

National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA Testimonial Quotes (A taste of what our students had to say) ett“hhAxeaplltewiirntoieoranlpldcle,eonthufeoidtsrsimwdmeayesoedafyuelseiscfhettooocohtshela.ee”ningfaignctg — Lexie Hosein —“2­caT0r1oAe5eslurit.oom”ubuBepa,thIdecaofronausinSddiedartitibhoiens EoRf SmCy ysei“mcnhrxoEteeapuevaerereNttervnieniAitdeehgntBwlihitcsAfhoeewdeulBouewgwanrehariokgnusenIgmcndphddeertfhrimiocwdfiuersoilltanrehwplisoleseeoyts.oewowkpaSuientlioettnagahdnItim.nh,”dhaeatfanhvotnokeer — Analisa Sukhu “fbsutIealftlrt.ebo”ref ipnsrpgeapscuaerc,ectehfsoesrnfutIlheagtunetehsxsetttrhoiespiyn’idgs — Marlon Kintenge

President’s Comments (Joshua Vital) Joining NABA has been one of the best decisions that I have made in my life. I have been a part of NABA for about 2 years now and I can tell you it has been such a life changing experience. As President of our chapter I have the pleasure of taking on a tremendous amount of responsibilities. The most rewarding aspect are the friendships I have made with our e-board and members. My hope is that I have also made a positive impact in the lives of our members and have helped them to grow professionally. Our 2015 trip to Pittsburgh for NABA’s Eastern Region Student Conference was nothing short of success. Our chapter has remarkably made its mark and took full advantage of the many opportunities that were offered at the convention. I am proud to say 90% of the students that attended had the opportunity to interview with some the most influential companies across the nation. With firms like JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, KPMG and Deloitte to name a few. The chapter went through a real journey before departing for the convention. We collectively put in a tremendous amount of work to position ourselves accordingly to succeed at the Eastern Region Student Conference. Prior to the conference we offered a range of events, namely resume workshops with alumni, mock interview workshops with administrators on campus, and or industry informational sessions with our senior leaders, which helped to prepare our members and for them to represent Baruch College in the best light possible. I am proud to say that we accomplished that goal this year. It was great to see that Baruch College the most represented school at the conference in terms of obtaining the most interviews, internships and the number of students who attended. I am grateful for the support of the NABA alumni and the Baruch college community who are passionate about the students and committed to developing its students professionally in an effort to build young leaders. Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business, USG and Student Life played an instrumental role in helping us get to the conference this year. As well as CUNY’s USS who helped fund our transportation for the trip. Thank you to your efforts we as a chapter have been able to leave a lasting impression in the minds of professionals, recruiters and multinational companies across the nation going forward. We as a chapter, are so ever grateful and proud to be a part of such a great establishment. And we look forward to give back in anyway going forward!National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

TESSTTIUMDOENNITALSNational Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

Analisa Sukhu I attended the National Association of Black Accountants’ Eastern Regional Students Conference during the days of the 24th September and the 27th September, 2015. This event occurred in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania at the Westin Convention Center. It was the most remarkable experience of my undergraduate career thus far. From developing professionalism to networking or attaining a job, NABA’s Eastern Regional Conference had it all. My ERSC experience started on the weekend before the conference, when I attended the pre- conference seminar at EY in Time Square. I have never been into a corporate office and my anxiety level hit climax when I entered the EY building. Nonetheless, the experience was informative and amazing. Their tips and advice solidify the importance and expectations of the ERSC weekend. On Thursday 24th September, the day we commuted to Pittsburgh, was spent getting acquainted with the Baruch Chapter. There were even a few students from other CUNY schools like Queens College. So my networking expansion started from the very moment I got on the bus. We arrived at the Westin Convention Center around 3:00pm and we checked in our rooms. I took a few minutes to take in the scenery from my room window and then prepared for the opening session and career fair. In the opening session, Deloitte spoke about different communication styles. The assessment activity they conducted helped me realize what type of communication style I possess. Now it comes down to the career fair. During the bus ride to Pittsburgh, I knew and recited everything I wanted to do and say in the career fair. But after entering the room where it was kept, I felt a blast of reality hitting me. Although I was frequently told that the business world is highly competitive, I never understood its intensity and severity until I walked into this room. Approximately 600 students were present and the lines to the corporate companies were ginormous. It took someone about 45 minutes to speak with a recruiter for a maximum of 3 minutes. However, I managed to speak with two recruiters, one from EY and another from Crowe Horwath. This was the first time speaking with a recruiter, so it was nerve wrecking. I highlighted these two events because it was the most thrilling for me. Over the course of the next few days, I attended workshops that shared tips on networking, effective communication, interview skills, corporate dress code and career paths in the business world. Even though I did not attain an interview during this weekend, the experience was priceless. So thank you NABA Baruch for allowing me to share this weekend with you and for meeting the wonderful people I have created lifelong memories with. I would not have had this opportunity without the help of many individuals. Betty Duverger, faculty advisor of NABA Baruch Chapter, is the number one supporter and person that allowed me to experience this weekend. She informed me of this conference three months prior and helped me prepare for it. She introduced me to NABA members which helped me to be more comfortable and adaptable to the environment. I am sincerely grateful for her assistance and everyone else that made this possible for me.National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

Isaac Akanmu The National Association of Black Accountants Eastern Regional Student Conference was a wonderful experience for me. I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity to attend such an event. Coming into this semester as a freshman, I honestly did not expect any great career opportunities. I barely knew about NABA but I was encouraged to join and to submit my résumé. So I did, and I was blessed enough to have been selected for sponsorship. The conference was a brand new experience for me. My goal was to absorb as much as I can. It was great to have a firsthand experience of a professional setting. Hearing from very credible professionals from the best companies in the world and interacting with them was ultimately my best teaching tool. I can say that the conference gave me exposure to a professional atmosphere and developed an understanding and desire to network with other individuals. Not only did I learn at the conference, but I was able to build relationships. I networked with different people and continue to communicate with them now. But the best relationships I built were within NABA Baruch itself. Learning and having fun with everyone was one of the highlights of the trip. Before the conference, I knew barely anyone in the club, but through the conference, I am now able to call them friends and mentors. At the conference, I did not have any specific career opportunities. Yet that was not a problem for me. From ERSC I was able to learn about upcoming opportunities for freshmen. One was PwC Start, an internship I applied for after the conference and received an opportunity to interview. So, in closing, I cannot say enough about NABA ERSC. The experience was beyond anything I would expect as a freshman and I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity to attend.National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

Aliou Badara SidibeMy name is Aliou Badara Sidibe, and I would like to share about my awesome experience atthe ERSC 2015. In order to do that, it is important for me to tell about how I got there thanks to thewonderful people I met. I am an incoming freshman at Baruch College, and I am planning to major inAccounting. Considering that I am part of a minority, and that I want to major in Accounting, it seemedlogical for me to join the NABA Baruch Chapter. Today, when I look at everything that has happened tome since my first day ever of College, I can say that this has been the best decision I have made in myCollege career. Joining this wonderful association has permitted me to meet awesome individuals whoconsistently strive for success, people who are consistently looking for opportunities, and, overall, peoplewho definitely live by the motto “Lifting As We Climb”.As a first-semester Freshman, I decided to join NABA because I knew that in the long run it wouldhave been a great investment. Honestly, I was not expecting much from the association at this time. Was Iwrong? Oh yes, I was! Because, what has happened next was more than I had ever expected. The courseof events showed me that nothing was impossible for this powerful association.I joined the club, paid my membership dues, and got involved in campus events. I was going toall the events organized by NABA, talking with all the amazing board members and members of theassociation, and because of that when I applied for the ERSC 2015 they decided to sponsor me. We gotready for the conference with many trainings organized in the form of phone calls, PowerPoints, talks etc.The conference itself was very inspiring for me. Being surrounded by so many people who strivefor success was amazing, and it motivated me to be the best version of myself. I have networked with manyprofessionals and students, and gained amazing knowledge and resources on the Accounting industry inthe various workshops I attended. The conference has permitted me get out of my comfort zone andgrow as an individual. It has taught me so much in a short span of time. It has given me the opportunityto have a mock interview, which permitted me to work on my interview skill. That has been really usefulconsidering that I got an online interview with Deloitte, and a campus interview with EY thanks to thepeople I met at the conference.To sum up, I consider this ERSC 2015 to be the foundation of my career. It has been an amazingexperience with wonderful people. I am forever grateful for this opportunity, and for what I have beenable to learn this far.Also, I have been chosen with other freshmen to attend ERSC 2016, and I can saythat I am really looking forward to it!National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

Stephanie Edwards I have been given the tremendous opportunity to attend yet another educationally, informative NABA Eastern Regional Conference this year. I was astounded to discern that I was to be sponsored to attend the event for the second time around. However, this time instead of being sponsored by the prestigious NABA Baruch chapter, I earned my way of being sponsored by the best minority-owned accounting firm, Mitchell & Titus, LLP. Not only did I receive the sponsorship from them, but also a scheduled interview with them as well. This truly was great elevation pertaining to where I was my freshman year when I was not scheduled for any interviews. Aside from the interview, learning played a major role in my experience at the conference. I learned about new strategies I could use to ace any upcoming interviews and other life lessons including some of the best ways I can financially manage my budget as well as keep a good credit report. Networking was another huge aspect for me as I made connections with not only the professionals and my interviewer, but with students from other chapters as well. I believe this is truly important towards the slogan, “lifting as we climb.” Especially taking into consideration that NABA Baruch was able to attend due to your consideration towards following that slogan and I thank you immensely for that.National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

Mamtah Bah I would like to sincerely thank NABA Baruch and anyone who participated in making my trip to the ERSC possible. I have had a wonderful moment out there, while taking advantage of the multiple opportunities, the job fair, the workshops, and the networking part of the event.National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

Ashley Belgrave This was my first time going to the NABA ERSC and I enjoyed every minute of it!! The events were not only fun, but filled with a lot of important information. This was simply because the variety of seminars and other events gave you the chance to learn about various topics during the week. Some of the things I learned over that we can was information about tax accounting from Baker Tilly, the specific structure of a few big four firms, and most importantly tips on how to make a good first four interviews and internships. Everyone was friendly and really wanted to help you, regardless of if you were a volunteer or sat on the board. The wanted to make sure the students remained focus, and were able use the opportunities they provided during the networking socials, and even after the seminars into meetings with the employees of these corporations that partnered NABA, for summer internships, or part/full time jobs. I can attest to this because I was given the chance to apply for a summer internship with Baker Tilly just by networking with the senior partner, and recruiter after their seminar. I am looking forward to possibly attending the next NABA ERSC next year and continuing to grow my network in NABA, and get more opportunities to interview for internships that may possibly become part/full-time jobs in the future.National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

Karyss Rawlins I am truly delighted to have had the experience to attend the NABA Eastern Regional Conference as a freshman of the NABA Baruch Chapter. The charismatic atmosphere exemplified upon arrival, elevated my eagerness to the upcoming events. The many opportunities and support gained throughout the conference, enlightened me towards my future endeavors. The nervousness and lack of courage to explore, affected me prior to my arrival to the conference. Many thoughts raced through my mind on whether I would overcome my fear of public speaking or gain any experience and knowledge of shaping my future. In my opinion, my attendance to the Eastern Regional Conference was a guiding pathway and also a wakeup call. I was given endless advice and tips on how to be successful which prepared me tremendously. There were many memorable and favored moments such as the interactive sessions for females, the preparation for the workplace, the scavenger hunt and my most favored, the international and pride party. These events united the different NABA chapters as they both networked and celebrated in the many events. I gained many role models within and without my chapter due to their inspirational advice and accomplishments. One word to describe my first of many conferences is splendid. Conclusively, there were many favorable moments that cannot be expressed thoroughly throughout this brief moment but the 40TH NABA Eastern Regional Conference was amazing. Endless gratitude and acknowledgment towards the many including the ERC committee, the many companies, supporters, and volunteers. The Eastern Regional Conference has had a major impact on me thus far. I live by and motivate myself with an inspiring quote introduced,” The bottom is too crowded. There’s room at the top”.National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

Marlon Kintenge This was my 1st time at NABA’s 40th Annual Eastern Regional Conference. The experience that I had the conference was phenomenal. Imagine a transfer student like myself traveling so far to go network with a conference that was put together by National Association Of Black Accountants. Over 600 students were in attendance at that conference from colleges all over the United States. I met so many students within my major with the same goals, aspirations, and visions such as myself. On top that, you had over 120 graduate professionals that attended to represent their previous colleges and speaking to the new and returning students as an act of guidance on their experiences. There were over 30 different financial institutions at that conference, include the BIG 4, PwC, Deloitte, KPMG & EY! I had the chance to speak with their representatives, attend their various workshops, and even have lunch and dinners with them. We had the chance to do what is rarely down with students and professionals: be yourself. Communicating and Networking where my two key factors on my mind during those days. Anything that I needed I communicated within my NABA chapter and I was Networking with every single person that I did not know. Our group was so big, I had the chance to speak to board members and connect with them like family, seen what adversities they overcame to get to where they are now. Within our group we had 1st semester freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, transfer students, alumni and even graduate professionals! We even had three of our students receive awards at the conference! Simbi Akanni and Johann Bishop were award recipients. But Shantel Deleon won the biggest award at the event! Being in this space with a such diverse group of well mannered students makes me proud to be a full fledged active member of NABA. However I would have never even become a member of NABA if it wasn’t for the guidance of Ms. Betty Duverger. And I also wouldn’t have been able to attend the conference without the assistance of The Director of SEEK, Dr. Angela Anselmo. She is the mother of all the SEEK students at Baruch College and also the reason why myself and a small group of students were able to attend the conference as she has funded us all the with everything that we needed for the conference. If there’s one thing that I was to take away from the conference, despite the friendships and connections I’ve managed to establish, apart from the loads of information that I learned, it would be a single quote. “The bottom is too crowded, but there’s always room at the top!” The last keynote speaker at the scholarship luncheon told us this. Ms. Kimberly Ellison-Taylor inspired me with that quote. From this day forward, my one and only goal is to make it to the top, no matter what adversities may lie ahead, no matter what challenges I must conquer, and no matter what obstacles I must overcome. If being successful at the top is full of space, then I guess they’d better prepare for the next rising star. I’m already preparing for the next conference where I will do bigger and better things through the year as I wait.National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

Jeffery Cole NABA’s Eastern Region Student Conference truly was a remarkable experience for me. I was exposed to the grandiose professional network of NABA and got to make some long lasting friendships. I was also given opportunities at the conference to interact with future employers and interview with them directly, opportunities I wouldn’t have gotten had I not attended the conference. The hospitality of the hotel and the curation of the events were truly fruitful for me and fully represented the values of NABA. The conference encouraged me to contribute more to the organization and I hope to be more involved in the realization of future conferences. As an aspiring professional, I was given the tools to get closer to my dreams. I want to thank everybody that made this possible for me and highlight the fact that the conference truly changed my life. Through the efforts of our NABA alum, we’ve been given an irreplaceable opportunity and that should not go unaccounted for. Thank you again on behalf of myself and NABA Baruch.National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

Lexie Hosein This year was my first time going to the conference and I must say, it was amazing. From the minute I registered I was excited, especially seeing that I would be getting to know a lot of the members from the Baruch Chapter. Going to this conference, I expected it to be overwhelming and very strict. When I say strict, I mean always having to be on your toes about anything and everything from meeting recruiters to just having a nice meal. This conference was a really good experience for me and it opened my eyes to a lot about the future. With the workshops, I learned things that I had never put thought into ever. I found them very useful and some of them inspiring from the panels. One of my favorite workshops was the “Sister Circle” because it brought all the females together to discuss certain problems that we can go through in the workplace. Getting advice from the professionals was also very useful from telling us what and what not to wear, to telling us how to prepare for interviews. Another thing that I loved about this conference was meeting students from all over the eastern region and watching us come together. Meeting people with the same goals as me really was surprising because I just thought to myself, “Wow someone wants to do the same thing, how cool would it be if we end up working together and looking back at this conference?” Attending this conference really changed my views about the future. Coming into Baruch, I knew that I wanted to be an accountant and basically, that was it. As a freshman, I never looked into networking or looking into companies that I can possibly work for in the future after I graduate. I did not realize the significance of networking and how helpful it is until this conference was over. This conference has impacted me tremendously. It made me realize that I need to get my GPA up and I need to start making myself known in the corporate world. It also made me realize what I want to actually do in accountant, which is to do internal auditing and work my way to doing external. All in all, this was a life changing experience for me due to the fact that it opened my eyes to seeing the world outside of school. I can’t wait to go back next year and meet even more people.National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

National Association of Black AccountantsEastern Regional StudentConference 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA SPECIAL THANKS TO...

Thank You Sincerely,NABA Baruch