Accounting Fair draws praise and crowds Annual event highlights alumni connections and student talent

The accounting program at Eastern hosted its annual Accounting Fair on Sept. 19, drawing a strong turnout from both firms and students alike. The event, which has been a staple at Eastern for more than 20 years, featured representatives from 25 different firms, with 54 professionals in attendance - many of whom are Eastern alumni.

"This may be our best show since we started the fair more than 20 years ago," said Mohd RuJoub, Eastern's accounting program coordinator. "Most of the reps are Eastern grads. They come (to this fair) because they're proud of their education and want to give back to current students."

The fair attracted nearly 100 students eager to network and learn more about career opportunities in accounting. New firms at this year's fair included the U.S. Navy, KPMG, the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services and The Hartford. Longstanding attendees such as Cohn Reznick, PFK O'Connor Davies, Nicola Yester and Fiondella Milone & Lasaracina (FML) returned to scout for new talent.

Tom Hamilton, client service director with Kforce Professional Staffing, praised the high quality of Eastern's accounting program. "We come to this fair to meet future candidates as early as possible," he said. "Many of our employees came from this accounting program ... the program creates incredible talent; the (students) are put together, they know how to dress, they have good resumes, good communication skills."

Other returning firms agreed. Brittany Whiteley, HR manager with Whittlesey Advising, has attended the fair for almost 10 years. "The quality of the students is impeccable. The students show up looking professional; they know what questions to ask. They're prepared with the fundamental and technical abilities to be successful in the accounting field," she noted.

Alex Roomey '22 M'23, a senior tax advisor with FML and former president of Eastern's Accounting Society, emphasized the fair's value in preparing students for diverse career paths. "These events give students exposure to their options after school, whether it's going public, private or government. Eastern's accounting program teaches you the language of business and prepares you with technical skills ... It helps you pilot your career before you begin."

Will Paetzold '19 M'20, a senior accountant with Nicola Yester, shared his positive experience as both an attendee and an intern-turned-employee. "I knew I didn't want to work at a bigger firm. The smaller firms allow you to learn more, whether it's working on financial audits or tax returns. Every day is different ... Mohd (RuJoub) really prepares his students. If you look at the CPA exam and one of his exams, they're pretty much the same exam."

With positive feedback from both employers and students, this year's Accounting Fair underscored Eastern's strong reputation for producing talented and career-ready graduates, and the event is set to continue serving as a valuable platform for students to explore their future careers in accounting.