Accounting Software Source.com is a proud sponsor of the UCSB Accounting Association. At the University of California Santa Barbara the Accounting Association meets in order to build a community devoted to fostering exceptional future accountants.
In this interview ASS sat down with Mike Valenica, president of the UCSBAA.
1) Mike, can you quickly introduce yourself, and tell us about the club you represent. How many members does your club have, how often do you have meetings and what do your meeting usually consist of?
My name is Mike Valencia and I am a third year student at UCSB with plans on becoming an auditor upon graduation. The Accounting Association acts as the link between business professionals and students. We currently have about 200 active members, but we encourage all students interested in accounting to join us for our meetings. Each wednesday afternoon we have a different firm come and present on a variety of topics including professional dress, resume tips, and how to be a well rounded student.
2) Accounting Software Deals focuses primarily on accounting and business software solutions; so I wanted to get an idea from you as to how familiar your members are with programs like QuickBooks. Do you ever use Quickbooks or other accounting software programs, or plan on doing so in the future? How many of your members, if any, do you find using or trying to learn QuickBooks as a part of their education?
Thats a good question that I don’t have an accurate answer to. I will ask our members at the next meeting and will follow up with you. However, I feel like most of our students will have to deal with accounting software after graduation. So if they were able to learn how to use this software during school, then I believe they would be at an advantage. I have recently been introduced to quickbooks as the up and coming treasurer of my fraternity. I believe being able to correctly use QuickBooks will be essential if I am to be a good treasurer.
3) This school year is coming to an end, so tell me your club’s plans for progressing next year. What strategies do you plan to implement for making next year even better for your club?
My officers and I meet weekly to discuss this exact topic. We are always looking for ways to improve our organization and to better help our members. Usually we focus on ideas that give our members the chance to participate in and allow them to network. Some ideas we have discussed include:
- putting on a social ran by students who already have an internship or secured a full time position to answer questions about the recruiting process,
- having firms do live mock interviews and resume critics during our meetings
- having a fashion show to show our members correct ways to dress
4) At Accounting Software Deals we work to help accountants, business professionals, individuals and students fulfill their unique accounting obligations. In what areas do you believe your members need the most support? Is it with paying their own taxes, finding resources to finish their education, or building relationships for their professional futures, as examples?
I personally believe that building relationships and networking is the most important thing that our members can do. It helps in almost every aspect of the recruiting process and will make getting an internship and or a full time position much easier.
5) Finally, as President of the UCSB Accounting Association, I presume you posses a clear sense of how to fulfill your future goals . Tell us where you would like to see yourself in four years. Are there any accountants or professionals you have dealt with while President who have helped shape your goals for the future? Do your goals seam to coincide with the goals of your members?
Coming from a family with a background in business, I knew I wanted to be an accountant when I enrolled at UCSB. I then decided to become president to allow myself the opportunity to network and ultimately land an internship. I have been successful so far and will be interning for BDO over the summer and hope to work full time after graduating. I would like to be an auditor for a few years and hopefully get to work abroad in Italy.
I feel like every firm that has come to our meetings has helped shape my future. I learn something new at each meeting that I try to implement immediately to make me a better candidate to become an auditor, and I believe our members feel the same way. Obtaining a summer internship or a full time position is the main goal for all our members, and it’s the Accounting Associations job to help them reach their goals.
6) Thanks for taking time the time to talk with Accounting Software Deals. It has been our pleasure to partner with the UCSB Accounting Association.
Thank you Ryan and I look forward to working with Accounting Software Deals.