Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants Event Introduces Students to Accounting

SHU panels highlight internships, AI’s role in the profession, and career opportunities beyond public accounting

Key Highlights

• Sacred Heart University's Accounting & Information Systems Department and the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants hosted Accounting Is My Major on Oct. 16 for nearly 100 Connecticut high school students.
• The event introduced students to college life, accounting career paths, the CPA pathway, and SHU's academic and career support resources.
• The initiative strengthens SHU's partnership with CTCPA and local high schools while supporting enrollment in the University's accounting program.

Sacred Heart University’s Accounting & Information Systems Department partnered with the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants (CTCPA) to host Accounting Is My Major (AIM) on Friday, Oct. 16, giving Connecticut high school students a firsthand look at college life and the many career paths within the accounting field.

The program brought students to campus for a series of panel discussions, each followed by a question-and-answer session. Topics included the college experience, career development and internships, the Welch Experience, artificial intelligence in accounting, and the path to becoming a certified public accountant (CPA). Panelists represented SHU’s Undergraduate Admissions team, Center for Career & Professional Development, accounting faculty, CTCPA, and the Welch College of Business & Technology, including accounting students and alumni.

Professor Mahfuja Malik said the event was designed to strengthen the University’s relationship with CTCPA while connecting with local high schools. “The event gives high school students a chance to experience college life. They also learn about the support SHU and our department provide accounting majors, career prospects in accounting, and how AI is changing the profession,” Malik said.

Feedback from students, high school counselors, and teachers was overwhelmingly positive, Malik said. Participants left with a clearer understanding of the range of career opportunities available in accounting, including pathways to becoming a certified public accountant and the leadership roles an accounting degree can support. Students also learned practical strategies for finding internships, preparing for interviews, building professional networks, and were introduced to the Welch Experience and mentorship program. Panelists discussed career paths beyond public accounting, including tax, management, financial analysis, and financial advisory roles.

Malik said accounting is often an undervalued major among high school students because of the limited exposure to business education. “It is therefore important to introduce students to the many career paths available in accounting so they can make more informed decisions about their college majors,” she said. “With a better understanding of the field, students can choose a course of study that aligns with their interests and make more thoughtful plans for their future careers.”

Andrew Gaudes, interim dean of the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology, said an accounting education opens doors far beyond the traditional path to a CPA license. “An accounting education can take you in many directions,” Gaudes said. “You might become a CPA, a financial adviser, a consultant, a business leader, or an entrepreneur. You might work in technology, entertainment, health care, sports, or an industry that hasn't even captured your interest yet. A good education shouldn't limit your choices; it should expand them.”

Sacred Heart’s Accounting & Information Systems Department worked with undergraduate admissions staff to coordinate the event and connect with CTCPA representative April DiFalco. Malik thanked DiFalco for her collaboration, as well as professors Danny Pannese and Paul Iannone for establishing the original partnership. She also recognized Pam Pillo, associate vice president for enrollment management, and Mia Coluccio, director of campus experience, Juan Paez-Romero, director of the Center for Career & Professional Development, and Cooper Rothman, director of the Welch Experience for their contributions to the event.

By hosting the event, Sacred Heart aims to raise awareness of its accounting program, highlight the field's diverse career opportunities, and encourage prospective students to apply and enroll, Malik said. The initiative also deepens the University’s ties with CTCPA and area high schools, creating ongoing opportunities to connect students with accounting professionals earlier in their academic journeys.