The Department of Accountancy recently started a mentoring program to help students develop, learn about accounting careers, and grow their network. Before the start of spring semester, 50 undergraduate accountancy students were assigned to mentors in twelve different local organizations. Students were assigned to companies based upon their interests after hearing the mentoring companies’ presentations.
The feedback from the students has been impressive. Alex Williamson, who will graduate in May with a bachelor of arts in Accounting/Finance, explains her interest in the program:
“I was excited to be a part of this new program because it sounded like a great opportunity to learn something new and to meet influential people in our community. So far this has been a rewarding experience. I was one of the lucky individuals to get paired with a mentor from Boise Inc. The first meeting exceeded my expectations. Everyone involved in the event was courteous and attentive. The highlight of the afternoon was being able to listen to the CEOs from Boise Inc. and Boise Cascade speak to us about their experiences and insights they’ve gained from their careers. I particularly appreciated what Mr. Rancourt said about the need to be flexible with our plans for life. His comments about finding success by working for something greater than you also impressed me. The other guest speakers and mentors also provided many insights and pieces of advice on how to be successful as a soon-to-be graduate. The whole afternoon was a positive experience and I look forward to future mentoring opportunities.”
John Wheeler, an accountancy student paired up with Cooper Norman, raves about the program, “This has been a great experience, to gain an inside view into a local firm, as well as to get “face time” and coaching from them. And I am even more interested in Public Accounting than I was before. I know Spring is a very busy time of year for them, so the fact that they have invested so much of their time in teaching and giving us a peek into what they do really speaks to their willingness to give back and to invest in the community.”
Denise English, Chair of the Department of Accountancy, also is impressed with the success of this new program. “I am very pleased with the level of participation from both the students and the mentoring companies. It will be exciting to see how this program grows and continues to add to the exceptional educational experience we strive to provide for all of our students.”
Mentoring organizations and the number of students participating include:
- Ada County – 3 students
- Boise Inc. – 11 students
- Cooper Norman – 3 students
- Deloitte & Touche LLP – 4 students
- Eide Bailly LLP – 6 students
- Harris & Co. PLLC – 2 students
- J.R. Simplot – 3 students
- KPMG – 6 students
- LeMaster Daniels – 3 students
- Little Morris LLP – 4 students
- Office of the Idaho State Controller – 3 students
- Syringa Networks – 2 students
Examples of planned activities at Boise Inc. include:
- Lunch with Boise Inc. mentors followed by brief meetings with key business leaders in Internal Audit, Tax, Accounting, Financial Reporting, and Financial Planning.
- Tour of the Boise, Inc Nampa Container Plant
- Boise IIA (Institute of Internal Auditors) monthly chapter luncheon. Mark Pearson, Director of Internal Audit Services and Security for Boise Inc., will discuss “The Audit Committee and the C-Suite: How to meet their expectations.”
- Listen in on the 4th Quarter Earnings Release for Boise Inc.