Accounting students visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Greg Johnson — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 13:25:04 +0000

Accounting students visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Greg Johnson Thu, 04/11/2024 - 09:25

Prior to his teaching career, Bret Johnson, an associate professor of accounting at the Costello College of Business at ��AV, was a staff accountant at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Accounting students and faculty

“I went back as an academic fellow, so I was there from 2020 to 2021, and part of my responsibility was arranging these student visits for other universities to come,” he says. Johnson knows the current SEC academic fellow Ally Zimmerman, an assistant professor of accounting at Florida State University’s College of Business. She coordinated the visit for Costello College of Business students to visit the SEC headquarters on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 28. An independent agency of the United States federal government, the SEC was established following the Wall Street Crash of 1929 to protect investors and enforce the law against market manipulation.

Johnson worked with Ethan Kinory, an instructional assistant professor of accounting at the Costello College of Business, to assemble a group of students they could bring on the visit. Kinory is the faculty advisor to Mason’s chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, an international honor organization for financial information students and professionals. The chapter has 41 total students, 29 of whom are accounting majors, and it runs approximately 12 events per semester. In addition to Beta Alpha Psi students, other attendees in the group included students from the accounting honors program and the master of science in accounting program. “It’s a huge benefit of us being here in the backyard of Washington, D.C., to have these types of opportunities,” says Johnson. “We have a great relationship with the people there, and that’s really helpful to foster these types of opportunities in the future.”

The Costello College of Business group arrived at SEC headquarters by 1:30 p.m. and was greeted by Ally Zimmerman in the lobby. From there, the afternoon was broken into segments running approximately half an hour each until the agenda concluded at 5:00 p.m. Interactive presentations were given by representatives from the office of the chief accountant, division of investment management, division of enforcement, division of corporation finance, and division of examinations.

The students’ trip to the headquarters showed them how they could apply what they have learned in the classrooms as future professionals, whether it be at the SEC or elsewhere. “This excursion provided an invaluable opportunity for students to gain insight into the SEC's role and organizational structure,” says Maya Didier, a master’s in accounting student and vice president of Beta Alpha Psi. "Visiting the SEC provided me with a valuable opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge I gained from textbooks into a real-life experience from talking to individuals who work for the SEC to visiting the building where all the work happens,” says Nathaly Pablo, a master’s in accounting student. “It was a great experience to broaden my understanding and perspective of the accounting profession."

For the 20 students who attended, it was a worthwhile and potentially career-altering event. “A lot of my students who attended told me that they hadn’t previously considered a career in the SEC or any regulatory agency,” says Kinory. “Now that they’re aware, they are considering those types of opportunities and potential employment down the road.” The proximity of ��AV and the proactive partnership building done by the faculty members open the doors for countless other top-notch experiential learning opportunities for Costello College of Business students.

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Bret Johnson

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Accounting student receives prestigious PCAOB honor

Jennifer Anzaldi — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 16:53:18 +0000

Accounting student receives prestigious PCAOB honor Jennifer Anzaldi Wed, 07/06/2022 - 12:53

Ngoc Le

As Ngoc Le was wrapping up her sophomore year at the ��AV School of Business, she was surprised to learn that she had been nominated for the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) scholarship. After a demanding application process, her hard work was rewarded as she was named a PCAOB scholar. Originally undeclared, Le chose to major in accounting after learning about how central it was to everything in business. “I wanted to explore what the School of Business had to offer before declaring,” she says. Peggy Tsirigotis and Kevin Matthews, both instructors of accounting, were two impactful professors she had in accounting and they pushed her to be a problem solver. It was during their courses that Le realized her passion and calling.

After receiving the PCAOB nomination, Tsirigotis guided her as a mentor throughout the application process. “The nomination and selection process took about two months and was rigorous as she competed against outstanding accounting students not only at Mason but also across the country,” says Tsirigotis. “As her former instructor, I am honored to have guided and supported her during the process.” The pair worked together in writing a profile and filling out copious forms. “Professor T was so helpful and we communicated frequently to ensure everything was proficiently completed,” says Le.

While working toward a future as an auditor, in the near-term Ngoc Le is looking forward to the rest of her time as a student at Mason. Now a junior, she spent her freshman year doing everything online. “This past year, I was really excited because I got to be on campus and attend all of my classes and club meetings in person,” she says. “I had only visited campus once back in high school, so it’s really been nice walking around to classes and events this past year.”

Clearly, the disappointment of the pandemic did not hinder Le’s academic achievement and a superb sophomore year was further enriched by the PCAOB recognition. Her full plate of extracurriculars include the Accounting Society, Vietnamese Society, and the Environment Club. She hopes to secure an internship soon and already has her eye on Mason’s master’s in accounting program. In addition to the financial benefit, the PCAOB scholarship carries incredible prestige, giving Le the confidence that the work she’s been putting in has been paying off.

“Nominating Ngoc for the PCAOB scholarship was an easy decision considering her high academic achievement, enthusiasm for accounting, and her well-rounded student profile,” says Tsirigotis. Halfway through her undergraduate classes, Ngoc Le has taken advantage of every opportunity and done so in impressive fashion. The School of Business is honored to be represented by her as a PCAOB scholar.

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