When it comes to predicting exemplary careers for three Oakland University accounting students, the numbers are definitely adding up.
The Michigan Association of CPAs (MICPA) will award Rebecca Braga, ACC ’13, MAcc ’14, Jasmine Moseley, ACC ’14, and David Spatafora, ACC ’14, the 2014 Outstanding Accounting Students in Michigan award at its annual awards banquet September 29. The students are pictured with accounting professor Gadis "Buck" Dillon.
The Michigan Association of CPAs (MICPA) will award Rebecca Braga, ACC ’13, MAcc ’14, Jasmine Moseley, ACC ’14, and David Spatafora, ACC ’14, the 2014 Outstanding Accounting Students in Michigan award at its annual awards banquet September 29.
“These students were selected because they are very active student members with the MICPA and have shown that they are serious about the profession,” explains Dwight Ragland, membership coordinator, MICPA. “They have attended various MICPA events, such as our Members Advisory Symposium, they have sat in at a MICPA Board of Directors meeting. They also have showcased their leadership ability and passion for the profession through the various organizations they are affiliated with both on and off of Oakland’s campus.”
OU Accounting Professor Gadis “Buck” Dillon agrees.
“These three have well-defined careers and goals. They are more than willing to dive in and contribute to their profession,” says Dillon. “They all have taken on strong leadership roles in student organizations and with others on campus.”
Moseley, who has a full-time position at Ernst & Young slated to start after she completes her MAcc next year, is highly involved on campus. Among other roles, Moseley served as president of OU’s National Association of Black Accountants chapter, co-president of the Global Business Brigades chapter which traveled to the Darien Region of Panama this August, and as a student member of the MICPA.
“One of my goals is to become the best leader I can be,” she explains. “Whether I'm self-leading, or leading co-workers, having a role in these organizations supplies me with leadership experience.
“I felt honored to be recognized by the MICPA,” she adds. “This award means a lot to me. It was a very challenging school year and it feels great to see how my hard work and the dedication to my studies pays off.”
For Braga, the accounting profession is a family affair.
“My mother is a CPA, so from a young age I was able to learn about the profession. I also took numerous accounting classes in high school and my high school teacher further inspired me to become a CPA,” she says. “A CPA has the ability to choose many different career paths within the business community and I always found that aspect attractive.”
Braga immersed herself in the industry, including serving as the founding president of the OU Global Business Brigade for its 2013 trip, the recruiting chair for Beta Alpha Psi, a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, a member of the Oakland Accounting Students and Information’s Society, a scholar in the Business Scholars Program, and a student representative on the business school assembly.
“During my years at OU, I was able to attending many MICPA events and those events helped to fuel my passion for the accounting profession,” she says.
After earning her MAcc from OU earlier this year Braga joined the Assurance Staff of Plante Moran. Here she also takes part in the firm’s recruiting events on OU’s campus, helping connect OU accounting students to careers in her firm.
The students all credit Oakland faculty members for their strong support.
“I'm so grateful my professors encouraged me to get involved during my sophomore and junior years, which is a confusing time for a lot of students,” says Spatafora. “By getting involved on campus, I was able to figure out what career was best for me.”
Spatafora, who is now enrolled in OU’s MAcc program, says getting involved while attending school is key.
“Being a great leader requires people to have that ‘go for the gold’ mentality, not just in grades, but in everything you do. I served as president of OASIS (Oakland Accounting Student Information Society). It was because of this organization that I was able to better my public speaking and put my leadership skills to the ultimate test.”
The MICPA Outstanding Student awards will be presented at the Shenandoah Country Club in West Bloomfield.
By Susan Thwing