The Disclosure - Spring 2013

honor’s society in the fields of

Accounting, Finance and MIS.

Sincerely,

Vivian Carrasquero

Welcome to Beta Alpha Psi,

Eta Iota “Superior” Chapter.

We are the international hon-

orary organization for financial

information professionals.

Since 1986, we have been

committed to helping FIU’s top

Accounting, Finance and MIS

students fulfill their dreams of

transitioning from students to

professionals. At the Eta Iota

chapter, we recognize excel-

lence in academic achieve-

ments and encourage diversi-

ty. We promote a sense of

responsibility towards ethical

behavior, in addition to social

and community involvement.

Our Spring 2013 executive

board has been working thor-

oughly to plan various events

for our new candidates and

returning members, These

events include weekly firm

presentations by national,

regional and local firms. We

will also conduct mock inter-

views, resume critiques, com-

munity service, networking

socials, professional develop-

ment workshops and tutoring.

With our successful Beta Bud-

dy Program, our candidates

also have a one-on-one men-

tor who helps prepare our

candidates for these events

and socials.

We encourage you to join us

this Spring 2013 semester and

become part of an elite, highly

-recognized and respected

Message From the President I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

Fall Executive

Board 2

BAΨ Orientation 3

PwC 4

Beta Buddy Social 5

Ahead of the

Game 6

Regions Bank 7

KPMG

Ernst & Young

8

Johnson & Johnson

Bank of America

9

Target 10

E T A I O T A

“ S U P E R I O R ” C H A P T E R

The Disclosure S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 V O L U M E V I , I S S U E I

P A G E 2 Spring 2013 Executive Board

Ms. Vivian Carrasquero is the President of BAP. “Vivi” is majoring in ac-counting. In addition to excelling in her duties as president, she is currently interning with Grant Thornton. With her leader-ship, she has made our semester successful for everyone involved.

Mr. Stephin Janis is the new President-Elect who is majoring in accounting. Stepin was responsible for organizing “Ahead of the Game: Accounting and Business Expo.” He will assume the presidency in the fall of 2013.

The new VP of Profes-sional Affairs is Mr. Erie Reyes. Erie is a senior majoring in accounting who will be graduating this summer. He is our exter-nal relations liaison and responsible for ensuring our candidates are able to network and learn from industry-leading compa-nies.

Ms. Anady Arrastia is the

VP of Membership who is dual majoring in fi-nance and accounting and will be graduating in the fall. She is responsi-ble for ensuring our can-didates fulfill pledges, are aware of the point sys-tem for initiation, and communicates with all members/candidates through weekly emails.

Our trusted new Treasur-er is Mr. Raul de la Tor-re. He is a senior major-ing in accounting, who is graduating this Fall. With Raul as treasurer, we can rest assured that Beta will have sufficient funds to run efficiently this semester. Additional-ly, he is responsible for organizing the food and drinks at Beta’s general meetings and events. Mr. Javier Diaz is our Secretary. He is majoring in accounting and will be graduating next spring. He ensures that every-one is on the same page and the details are being

addressed. Javier also planned the Executive Board’s Regional's trip and organizes the com-munity service events for the benefit of our mem-bers.

Mr. Ronnie Figueroa is our Webmaster who will be graduating this Fall with a Bachelor of Ac-counting. He is responsi-ble for maintaining the website (bapfiu.org), the newly created “Beta Store” and communi-cating important infor-mation and news on BAPFIU’s social media outlets. He is also in charge of publishing The Disclosure newsletter.

From left to right on top:

Vivian Carrasquero

Stephin Janis

Anady Arrastia

Raul De La Torre

From Left to Right, Bottom

Javier Diaz

Ronnie Figueroa

Erie Reyes

T H E D I S C L O S U R E

P A G E 3

“The people and

experiences that you

encounter in Beta

Alpha Psi are

unbelievable and is

something that is I

will cherish”

Beta Alpha Psi’s orientation’s

informed new candidates of the prestigious

business honor society. The orientation

took place on January 11, 2013 and al-

lowed returning members to meet new

candidates and introduce them to the

Spring 2013 Executive Board. The orienta-

tion demonstrated how Accounting, Fi-

nance, and MIS students can benefit by

becoming members of Beta Alpha Psi. Sev-

eral returning members spoke of opportuni-

ties they’ve received through their involve-

ment with Beta. Former E-Board members

were in attendance and encouraged the new

wave of candidates to take advantage of the

organization and grow into professionals.

To be initiated into the organiza-

tion at the end of the semester, each candi-

date must attend a certain number of meet-

ings, socials, tutoring sessions, community

services, and other student involvements.

After students were informed of the re-

quirements for initiation and the presenta-

tion ended, both candidates and members

completed an interactive game where they

learned more about each other and discovered

similarities.

The orientation concluded with a

trip to Dave and Busters in Dolphin Mall. The

social was more casual. It let people get to

know each other and learn their colleague’s

majors, classes, and experiences being in Beta

Alpha Psi. It offered a casual atmosphere

where everyone enjoyed good food, fun

games, great music and amazing people.

All in all, the orientation and social

that Beta Alpha Psi has every semester is very

helpful for students seeking information

about an organization that can help them with

internships, resume critiques, interview skills,

and much more. The people and experiences

that you encounter in Beta Alpha Psi are un-

believable and is something that I will cher-

ish.

T H E D I S C L O S U R E

Lauren Angat

Bachelor of

Business

Administration

December 2014

P A G E 4 V O L U M E V I , I S S U E I

It was Beta Alpha

Psi’s second Friday meeting

and hopes were high for a won-

derful semester along with ex-

citing presentations. PwC ex-

ceeded our expectations for an

exciting presentation by provid-

ing us with an engaging work-

shop about ‘How to Brand

Yourself’. The workshop fo-

cused on a vibrant range of col-

ors: red, orange, yellow, green,

blue and purple. The concept of

the power of color was intro-

duced in a video that exempli-

fied different company logos

and the brands they have creat-

ed for themselves through their

particular use of color. The

range of colors were then

flashed before us along with

words that fit certain character-

istics of each color such as:

power, trustworthy, ambition,

determination, nature, warmth,

optimism, and magic. We were

given a moment to truly take in

each color along with its intrinsic

personality and choose a color

that best fit our own personality.

After choosing our colors, we

grouped into the corresponding

color’s team and discussed why

we chose that color.

It was very interesting

to see that within a team, people

chose the same color but for dif-

ferent reasons. The presentation

went on to encourage using

‘your color’ and what it repre-

sents to brand yourself in a posi-

tive light. The reality is that the

best teams consist of different

colors because each person has

different but equally important

characteristics to offer. Thus, I

believe that what PwC was try-

ing to convey was that the future

is bright and succeeding in our

increasingly globalized world

requires a rainbow of color.

The largest of the big

four accounting firms, Price-

waterhouseCoopers, took the

audience into an exciting ad-

venture of self-awareness on

Friday, January 25, 2013.

PricewaterhouseCoopers is not

your typical accounting firm—

they constantly strive for great-

ness and their unique Power-

Point presentation showed that.

We were broken into groups

according to the color of our

personalities. This was a small

leadership workshop in which

we learned about ourselves and

our peers. We also had to or-

ganize a list of companies with

our color. I identified with the

color blue. Similarly, our group

was charged with identifying

companies like IBM, JetBlue,

Wal-Mart, etc. whose logos are

the same color.

During the night, PwC

also showcased various out-of-

state opportunities to those inter-

ested in areas such as Boston.

Whitney Wilson, campus recruiter

for FIU told the students about the

Elevate Leadership Program,

which “is a selective program for

high-achieving college students

interested in starting a fast paced

career in the professional services

industry.” Also, freshmen and

sophomores were encouraged to

apply to the Start Internship Expe-

rience which allows students to

work in teams for professional

development. In addition, Jenna

Walters, previous Beta Alpha

Psi’s treasurer, shared her experi-

ence in PwC as a recent intern and

how much knowledge she’s at-

taining.

I learn so much valua-

ble information from PwC and

this experience has made me

realize the next steps in the pro-

cess. As a junior, I’m looking

forward to the summer leader-

ship programs and must start

applying through Career Man-

agement Services.

Laura Concepcion,

Bachelor of Accounting

December 2013

Rummesa

Abrar,

Bachelor of

Accounting

Spring 2014

Whitney Wilson,

Campus Sourcing

Manager

P A G E 5

“The skills I’ve

learned in such a

short period of

time have really

been developed

by surrounding

myself with

other individuals

in this

organization.”

On the morning of

February 3rd, candidates

and members of Beta Alpha

Psi came together in Tami-

ami Park for a day of

games and bonding. The

day started with a plethora

of different snacks and

drinks to energize the group

for the games ahead. First up was

an egg toss. It was amazing to see

the communication skills along-

side teamwork that ensued. The

winning team was nearly 20 yards

apart! Next was a three-legged

race. In the pairing of members

with new candidates, it was appar-

ent that each person was there to

help and support the up-and-

coming group of Betas. Finally, in

teams of about 5, each individual

had a turn to bring a spoonful of

water back to a bowl in need of

filling. This activity showed what

I had been seeing from the start of

the day: great communication,

teamwork and constant support. It

was in this moment that I knew I

was making a great decision to join

Beta Alpha Psi. The skills I’ve

learned in such a short period of

time have really been developed by

surrounding myself with other indi-

viduals in this organization.

Next thing I know I see a

bunch of pies topped with whipped

cream being passed around with all

eyes on the E-board. This activity

was a great way to wind down the

day, while at the same time raising

funds for the organization. This is

one tradition I hope never ends!

T H E D I S C L O S U R E

Laura Smith,

Bachelor of

Business

Administration

2014

Annual Pie-the-

Eboard

P A G E 6

Ahead of the Game is Beta Alpha Psi’s career expo

for accounting, finance, and MIS-

majors held every fall and spring

semester at Florida International

University. On January 31, 2013,

I was among the hundreds who

attended this exciting event. As an

accounting major and member of

Beta Alpha Psi, this was my sec-

ond time attending. Overall, I was

impressed with each of the repre-

sentative’s ability to make us feel

relaxed and confident as they

shared their experiences within

their firm and the overall culture

within it. I was especially appre-

ciative when I saw familiar faces

from the previous Ahead of the

Game because it showed the mu-

tual interest these firms have for

us as aspiring professionals.

What I enjoyed the most

about this experience was learning

firsthand from the representatives

Ahead of the Game,

our premier accounting and

business expo is our largest re-

cruiting event The event itself is

a collaboration between Beta

Alpha Psi, ALPFA, FIU School

of Accounting, Business Career

Services, and the different

firms. It brings hundreds of stu-

dents together and allows them

the opportunity to network with

various notable employers. It

has brought about many success

stories over the years and this

year was no exception.

Ahead of the Game

was quite a unique experience

for me this semester. Unlike this

past fall semester, in which I

was simply an attendee, this

Rachel

Johnson,

Bachelor of

Accounting

Spring 2014

about their respective firm. The

more I spoke with them, the more I

was amazed at how passionate they

were about what they did. It’s in-

spiring to know that there are so

many people in the accounting

field who are willing to help and

are passionate about what they do.

I hope to join them one day as a

confident, knowledgeable profes-

sional looking for the next genera-

tion of bright and eager FIU stu-

dents.

Even though this was my

second opportunity to attend

Ahead of the Game, I look forward

to continuing to connect with the

firms moving forward. I’d like to

thank all the firms who were in

attendance for their continued sup-

port and sponsorship. Their

demonstrated commitment to

FIU’s students is appreciated.

Ahead of the Game

year I was put in charge of organ-

izing it as President-elect of Beta

Alpha Psi. The opportunity al-

lowed me a chance to understand

the ins and outs of what goes into

organizing such as high-profile

event. Preparation for this year’s

Ahead of the Game dates back to

the conclusion of the event last

fall.

The expo wasn’t without

its challenges, the most prominent

ones being: making sure students

were registered and had approved

resumes, confirming the attend-

ance of the different firms and

organizing the layout of the room.

In an effort to motivate students

to explore different opportunities

and speak with everyone, students

were given stickers for network-

ing with companies outside of the

big 4 accounting firms. Those

students who collected eight or

more were awarded by their re-

spective organizations.

In the end, everything

fell into place as the event hosted

more than 25 different employ-

ers with over 250 students in

attendance. It was quite a suc-

cess and when it was all said and

done, I was glad to see that quite

a few students walked away with

potential leads on internship or

full time positions. Stephin Janis,

Bachelor of

Accounting

Spring 2014

In closing, I’d

like to give my sincerest

thanks to everyone in-

volved.

Beta Students

Networking at

Ahead of the

Game.

P A G E 7

“I was nervous

and excited at the

same time, but

the

representatives of

Regions made the

experience an

excellent one“

Regions Bank had

an informative presentation

that allowed students to see

the various careers offered

within the company. The

program that was highlight-

ed was the Management As-

sociate Program, which is

offered to students with a

Bachelor’s Degree. This two

- phase program lasts 16

weeks. Phase I is the hands-

on training portion of the

program, while Phase II is

the placement post program.

Once you are in Phase II,

you are placed where you fit

best in service lines ranging

from credit underwriting,

risk analytics or commercial

branching.

Regions Bank

brought two college gradu-

ates who shared their expe-

riences in the Associates

Program and gave first-

hand accounts on what they

went through and how the

program really helped them

in seeing where they want-

ed to take their careers.

One of the associates with-

in the program shared a

conversation he had with

the Chief Executive Officer

of Regions. I was really

impressed by that because

it seems like Regions is a

friendly environment in

which the workers know

each other and have close-

knit relationships. This is

something that I find to be

very important in any busi-

ness establishment.

This was the first

presentation of the spring

semester and it was also

my first networking experi-

ence. I was nervous and

excited at the same time,

but the representatives of

Regions made the experi-

ence an excellent one.

Overall, I found the

presentation to be enlight-

ening and the representa-

tives eager to answer ques-

tions and network with the

students who attended.

T H E D I S C L O S U R E

Isabella

Landazabal

Bachelor of

Business

Administration

Summer 2014

P A G E 8 V O L U M E V I , I S S U E I

Ronnie

Figueroa,

Bachelor of

Accounting

December 2013

During KPMG’s presenta-

tion for members of Beta Alpha Psi

and ALPFA, the firm addressed the

process for becoming part of the

KPMG family. The firm outlined

FIU’s Best Practices Policy which

explains the steps firms follow to

recruit FIU students for their sum-

mer leadership programs, intern-

ships, and full-time hires. The firm

adheres to these standards to make

sure their recruits are ready for the

challenges awaiting their profes-

sional careers. Finally, the firm

spoke of the unique experiences

students can encounter throughout

the summer leadership program—a

two day event which features team-

building activities, networking with

senior KPMG staff and interactive

activities to familiarize students

with KPMG’s unique culture.

KPMG closed with a Fami-

ly Feud like game where eight par-

ticipants were called upon to answer

questions. Seventy three KPMG

staffers were surveyed on topics

ranging from benefits of working

for the firm to mind-benders. In the

end, all the participants, including

myself, took home thermos bearing

the firm logo and an enthusiasm to

learn more about KPMG and oppor-

tunities within the firm.

Ernst & Young’s firm

presentation regarding transforming

a student into a professional was

quite informative. It aligned perfect-

ly with Beta Alpha Psi’s goal – “To

help transition students into the pro-

fessionals of tomorrow.” The

presentation featured Albert Tama-

yo, Jefferson Johnson, Richard Bru-

guera, and several of their col-

leagues along with some interns.

Ten unique differences from the life

of a student to that of a professional

were discussed, with the most prom-

inent ones being: no more 10 hours

of sleep, being tested every day, not

twice a semester and not to expect

the typical 9 to 5 job. What I per-

sonally liked about the presentation

was that everyone from Ernst &

Young was very down to earth and

realistic about the changes the stu-

dents will encounter. They didn’t

sugarcoat anything for students and

gave their honest synopsis on what

to expect. Afterwards, a brief net-

working session ensued which al-

lowed our new candidates, as well

as members, to get to know the

E&Y team one-on-one.

Members and candidates

had the opportunity to fire away

their questions towards the E&Y

team who gladly answered each and

every one of them. Having attended

last fall as well as this spring’s

presentation, I can say that E&Y has

brought something new to the table

each time. Last fall’s presentation

highlighted flexibility as the under-

lying theme while this spring fo-

cused more on the student’s life

after graduation. Overall, I would

like to give my sincerest thanks on

behalf of Beta Alpha Psi to the E&Y

team for coming out this semester to

present, despite it being during the

hectic busy season.

Stephin Janis,

Bachelor of

Accounting

Spring 2014

BAP Members

Participate in

KPMG’s fun games

P A G E 9

Johnson & Johnson gave an

interactive presentation to the business

honor societies Beta Alpha Psi and

ALPFA on January 25, 2013. The compa-

ny has 126 years of outstanding perfor-

mance, branching out into more than 250

companies in more than 60 countries with

approximately 129,000 employees. Ligia

Martinez, Senior Financial Analyst and

Florida International University alumnus,

gave an enlightening presentation about

the company to those students in attend-

ance. She had two assistants who are cur-

rently enrolled in school and have in-

terned with the company. It was benefi-

cial to hear the first-hand experiences of

the two students.

A segment of the presentation

that caught my attention was the compa-

ny’s credo. The core values that guide the

company’s decision-making are indicated

in their credo. The credo allows them to

put the desires and the well-being of the

people they serve as their main goal.

Their credo helps people focus on cus-

tomers, employees, communities and

stockholders.

Johnson & Johnson has an annu-

al University Case Competition that al-

lows students to gain real world experi-

ence in the field of Corporate Finance and

develop analytical and financial modeling

skills. This is a great opportunity for stu-

dents to form groups to work on a real

case relating to their major. There is an on

-campus competition where each group

will present and the winner will move on

to New Brunswick, New Jersey where

they will compete at the Johnson & John-

son headquarters.

Overall, Johnson & Johnson

presentation was both informative and

valuable.

Bank of America’s presenta-

tion introduced innumerable job and

internship opportunities to Finance and

Accounting majors. The multinational

banking and financial services corpora-

tion aids people in over 150 countries

and has been recognized for their online

banking with approximately 30 million

active users.

An incredible opportunity for

juniors enrolled in colleges is the CFO

Group Internship which is located in

Charlotte, North Carolina. This ten-week

summer program focuses on students

who plan on graduating in December

2013- May 2014. The internship is

aimed at juniors and gives them the abil-

ity to get to know the corporation, gain

invaluable experience and be involved in

hands-on activities. A benefit of success-

fully completing the internship is a posi-

tion with Bank of America once you

graduate. The ability of launching your

career immediately after graduation

makes opportunities with Bank of Amer-

ica worthwhile.

The types of skills that are im-

perative to have in order to obtain a ca-

reer in Bank of America include: good

oral and written communication, good

analytical ability, basic finance and ac-

counting knowledge, international/global

perspective, and proficiency with Mi-

crosoft Excel and Access.

Bank of America concluded the

meeting by illustrating why the corpora-

tion is a great environment for future

opportunities. Their service, years of

experience and globalization is what

attracts individuals to their successful

corporation.

Lauren Angat

Former BAΨ

Secretary Nicholas

Holch shares his expe-

riences with Bank of

America.

P A G E 1 0

“The company is

looking for people

who have people

skills, are goal-

oriented, and are

willing to adapt

to the company’s

culture. ”

We had the pleasure of attend-

ing a presentation from Target hosted by

representative Travis White who over-

sees 50 stores in his role as District Man-

ager. Accompanying him where two FIU

students who are both now Executive

Team Leaders in local Target stores.

Some keys points that he touched on

were in reference to the company’s vi-

sion to expand its operations in Canada

with 150 stores. Another noteworthy

point was the company’s commitment to

community involvement. Target pledges

to contribute over $4 million in proceeds

towards community initiatives each

week. Travis then went on to elaborate

on the internship program offered by

Target. The internship provides you with

the skills and knowledge to be able to

hold an Executive Team Leader position

within Target. The internship heavily

emphasizes team development. The com-

pany is looking for people who have peo-

ple skills, are goal-oriented, and are will-

ing to adapt to the company’s culture.

Intern evaluations will be made through

several “leadership assessments.” The

assessments continue into the Executive

Team Leaders (ETL) program as a way

to groom the next leaders of Target.

Working as an Executive Team

Leader has its share of challenges; forcing

members to be flexible and delegate their

time and mandating team cohesiveness.

Despite the challenges, Target offers a

plethora of growth and incentives within

the ETL position such as bonuses for sales,

reviews, and overall performance based on

achieving company goals. For those who

do not want to work in a store environment

and would rather go the corporate route,

opportunities are currently available in the

company headquarters in Minneap-

olis.

T H E D I S C L O S U R E

Antario

Scruggs

Bachelor of

Business

Administration

Spring 2014

Representatives from

Target discuss oppor-

tunities for students