In fall 2014, the School of Business and Eco-nomics launched its newly approved MBA program, and the de-partment is pleased to sponsor accounting as one of three concentra-tions in that program. The MBA – Account-ing concentration pro-vides strong develop-ment in broad business disciplines while em-phasizing advanced ac-counting knowledge. We are pleased to say

that our first class of stu-dents is praising the pro-gram for its high quality courses and helpfulness in working toward the CPA exam. They have also expressed apprecia-tion for the openness of faculty to mentoring and the experience they bring to the classroom. We ex-pect the new MBA to en-hance the attractiveness of our graduate program and increase the depart-ment’s ability to provide opportunities to prepare

for the CPA exam and for professional ca-reers. Our first MBA graduate, Edberg Del-va, was hired by Grant Thornton LLP.

New MBA—Accounting Concentration

Zeta Sigma Chapter at the Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia

Five representatives from

North Carolina A&T at-

tended the Annual meet-

ing. Over 500 students

attended the conference

from all over the US and

around the world. We felt

really special when Michi-

gan State University hon-

ored us with a reception

for A&T students and

MSU alumni. I had the

pleasure of presenting at

the Annual meeting with

Ryan Taylor on “Keeping

Alumni Members Involved

in the Chapter Activities.”

The meeting was not all

work. We had dinner

with a former Chapter

President, Ronnie Mel-

vin, who showed us

around his new city. I

want to thank the Depart-

ment of Accounting and

Finance for affording me

this opportunity.

Project Run With It 2

Doris Henderson Newcomers School 2

Best Practice Competition at Regional Meeting 3

Graduate School Panel 3

Member Spotlight 4

Honorary Initiate 4

Inside this issue:

Beta Alpha Psi

ZETA SIGMA CHAPTER

March 24, 2015

“Attending the 2013 Beta

Alpha Psi National Meeting

was a great experience, that

I tried to repeat at the Re-

gional Meeting.” -Jessica

Professional Attire Competition 5

Alternative Career Paths 5

A&T Graduate Excels at Wake 6

Dean Craig BAP / BGS Scholarship Fund 6

Tutoring SOBE Students 5

Kevin James

Jessica Reid

While we were helping the teachers in the classrooms, creating bulletin boards in the halls, working in the technology center, and eating lunch in the cafeteria, we were able to learn about the students and their home-lands. Some of the locations that the students came from included Iraq, Ne-pal, Korea, and numerous African countries. Some of the students we assisted came from refugee camps, and some had been displaced from their homes by wars. As we interacted with the students, it was obvious that they were very interested in learning more about our culture. The students pos-

sessed a zeal for learning. Working with them and spending time with them was a humbling experience. It made each of us feel fortunate to have access to free public education and

basic public services.

It was enlightening to work with the

students of the Newcomers School

and it proved that you can develop a

global mindset without ever leaving

Greensboro. Consequently, we are all

determined to engage in international

experiences and to become more cul-

turally diverse. We are trying to be

more open minded and accepting in

our thinking

and behavior.

“Kaifa Halukum?” This Arabic expres-sion, which means, “How are you (all),” was one of the many things that I learned and witnessed at the Doris Hen-derson Newcomers School. This year, we had the pleasure of working with students from over 40 countries across

the globe. We assisted the stu-dents with Math, English, Art, and other subject are-as. We taught the students how to count US curren-cy and found ways to provide needed resources.

On February 6th, Kim Bullard of Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP and several Chapter members delivered enough school supplies and winter clothing for 35 students. In April, we will partner with KPMG LLP to deliver books to the students in grades 3 to 5. For many this will be the first book they will ever

own.

Page 2

The Doris Henderson Newcomers School

BETA ALPHA PSI

In August 2014, Omozokpia Ol-umese had the pleasure of attending the Beta Alpha Psi National Confer-ence in Atlanta, Georgia where he

participated in the Project Run With It Case Competition. This competi-tion was designed to get Beta Alpha Psi student members from all across the country to provide solutions to actual business issues faced by not-for-profit organizations.

During this year’s competition, Zokpia and his team members as-sisted the Georgia Center for Non-Profits to overcome challenges that have hindered their expansion and to research solutions in response to their financial barriers. Project Run With It provided Zokpia with a great opportunity to meet and work with other remarkable students

from all over the country and to improve upon his analytical and presentation skills.

After two days of working with the team around the clock, Zo com-mented, “Everyone here is so smart. They are exceptional in fact. And, I feel like I am prepared to contribute and to compete with these students. Thanks to A&T I am able to hold my own with them.”

Project Run With It

Kurt Outerkamp, Rose Ward, Zokpia Olumese, and Julie Parsons

Gregory Smith, Zokpia Olumese, Eric Ce-ville, Stanley Mitchell, and Stacy Bonds

MARCH 24, 2015

Forest in Fall 2015. In addition, Eric Ceville, Stanley Mitchell Jr., Omo-zokpia Olumese, and Gregory Smith Jr. will brave the cold and attend Michigan State University on full scholarships. Several other SOBE students have been admitted to Wake Forest University and North Carolina State University.

As a result of the program, Adam Capozzi of Syracuse University is working with Joshua Hill, a former Zeta Sigma Chapter President, to at-tract A&T alumni in the New York

area to Syracuse University’s MBA and MACC programs. In a program modeled after this one, representa-tives from Michigan State Universi-ty, Syracuse University, and UNC –Charlotte hosted a Graduate School Panel for several HBCU’s in the At-lanta area in October. Our hope is that this and other programs like it will lead to greater diversity in MACC and MBA programs across the country.

On October 16, 2014 in Craig Hall, the Zeta Sigma chapter of Beta Alpha Psi hosted a Graduate School Panel for both the Master’s in Accountancy and MBA programs. Eleven schools and universities participated includ-ing Michigan State University, North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, The Ohio State University, Syracuse Uni-versity, UNC-Charlotte, UNC-Wilmington, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and Wake Forest Univer-sity. There were two first time at-tendees, Georgia State University and Virginia Tech University.

The schools representatives partici-pated in a questions and answer ses-sion for the first hour. During the next two hours, the schools distribut-ed applications and discussed schol-arship opportunities with School of Business and Economics students. The program was a success for the chapter and its members. Seven members will be attending graduate school in 2015. Stacy Bonds will start the MACC program at Wake

Page 3

Graduate School Panel

Best Practice categories, Financial Literacy and International Impact.

The Zeta Sigma chapter collaborated with Financial Fit Aggies all year to enhance the financial literacy of North Carolina A&T State University’s stu-dents. Eric Ceville and Omozokpia Olumese assisted Financially Fit Ag-gies at all their events and presented the project at the regional meeting.

Payton Sartin and Ashley Patterson, pictured here, presented our work with the Doris Henderson Newcomers

School in the International Impact category. They discussed how we developed the relationship with the school over several months. They also discussed how the project has helped the international students and the members of the Zeta Sigma Chapter broaden their global mind-sets. Payton and Ashley placed first at the regional meeting and will rep-resent the Southeast Regional at the Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, WI.

At this year’s Southeast Regional Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, the Zeta Sigma Chapter presented in two

Best Practice Competition at Regional Meeting

Congratulations to the International Impact Team! Payton Sartin, Raymond Elson (Southeast

Region CA), and Ashley Patterson

tion, Ryan successfully served in a

number of campus recruiting roles at

EY. Most recently, Ryan was the lead

campus recruiter for the Carolinas mar-

ket and the Southeastern United States

Tax recruiting leader. In this role,

Ryan was responsible for leading the

firm’s relationship with key universi-

ties, development and execution of

recruiting strategy, and providing re-

cruiting guidance to firm executives.

Ryan graduated with honors from

Saint Vincent College, having double

majored in Pre-Law and Economics.

Ryan is actively involved in the com-

munity. He sits on the Board of Direc-

tors for WEBD, a consortium of For-

tune 1000 companies that are investing

in Historically Black Colleges and Uni-

versities students. He is also very in-

volved with the United Way, and rais-

ing money for cancer research. Ryan

was also selected by the INROADS

organization as their Business Advisor

of the Year and has been a speaker at

the national NABA, ALPFA, and IN-

ROADS conferences.

Ryan Kist is an Americas Inclusive-

ness Campus Consultant with Ernst &

Young LLP in Charlotte, NC. Ryan

has over 10 years of recruiting and

management experience. In his current

role, Ryan provides consulting on di-

versity and inclusiveness to universities

across the country; working with EY

professionals, students, faculty and

administration. Additionally, Ryan co-

develops and assists with the execution

of EY’s strategies related to confer-

ences and external clients.

Prior to accepting the Americas In-

clusiveness Campus Consultant posi-

Ashley Breanna McCullough is a senior accounting student from Charlotte, NC. She cur-rently serves as the Vice President of Beta Alpha

Psi. In addition, she is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, Alpha Lambda Delta, and Alpha Kappa Mu honor so-cieties.

In fall 2012, Ashley was a member of the Deloitte Southeastern Case Study Competition. This lead to a

summer internship with Deloitte LLP, in Atlanta GA. In the summer of 2014, Ashley had the opportunity to intern with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc, in Bentonville, AR. She worked within the Global Shared Services under Enterprise Asset Management (EAM). Ashley will return to Wal-Mart this summer interning in the Corporate Finance and Strategy divi-sion. She is a member of Delta Sig-ma Theta Sorority Inc., Alpha Mu Chapter. Ashley is the recipient of many scholarships such as Anheuser-Busch: Legends of Crown, Thur-good Marshall funded by Wells Far-go, and Erica James Endowed from Beta Alpha Psi which all have con-tributed to her graduating debt-free.

After graduation in May 2015, Ashley plans to pursue a Master’s of Science in Account-ing at a prestigious graduate pro-gram, while working towards be-coming a Certified Public Ac-countant (CPA) and opening her own entertainment accounting firm.

of potential securities violations. Prior

to working in Enforcement, Mr.

Veasley worked for a regional broker/

dealer, Ferris Baker Watts, which is

now part of RBC Wealth Manage-

ment’s US Division.

Mr. Veasley serves as a Co-chair of

FINRA’s Diversity Leadership Coun-

cil. In that role, he is responsible for

leading FINRA’s efforts to provide

Tirone Veasley is an Associate Au-

dit Director at the Financial Industry

Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Mr.

Veasley is responsible for leading fi-

nancial and operational audits and con-

sulting activities designed to add value

and improve operations. Before work-

ing in Internal Audit, he was a Special

Investigator in FINRA’s Enforcement

department where he led investigations

diverse and inclusive employee pro-

grams. Mr. Veasley is also a mentor to

FINRA’s summer interns.

Mr. Veasley has a Master’s degree in

Financial Management from the Uni-

versity of Maryland University-College

and a Bachelor’s degree in Business

Administration (Finance Concentra-

tion) from Towson University.

Page 4

Member Spotlight

BETA ALPHA PSI

Honorary Initiates

Member Spotlight

Ashley McCullough

Ashley McCullough receiving the Eric James Endowed Scholarship from Rana Riddick

MARCH 24, 2015

For the third year, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP sponsored the Pro-fessional Attire Training and Com-petition. On February 4th, Kimberly Bullard made a presentation on pro-fessional attire. She discussed busi-ness casual and business profession-al attire. She had the Beta Alpha Psi members to act as models and pro-vide examples of appropriate and not-so-appropriate business attire. On February 25th, Kim and Wayne Martin returned to judge the professional attire competition. All of the students were required to model their best business attire for a three-judge panel. Dr. Highsmith-Quick and Dr. Owens-Jackson helped to judge the female students; while, Dr. Reid and Dr. Phillips

helped judge the males. Each stu-dent was given immediate feedback on their attire along with advice to improve their image.

Johnathan McPhaul and Monique Leathers, both sophomore account-ing students and veterans were awarded first place. Each first

place recipient won $150; second place won $100; and third place won $50. In addition, DHG LLP paid a profes-sional photogra-pher to take head shots of each stu-dent for their

linked-in pages. This program has

been a tremendous suc-cess and has allowed North Carolina A&T students to actively and effectively learn how to dress to impress po-tential employers.

a career with the Federal Bureau of In-

vestigation (FBI). She hopes this choice

will allow her to pursue her passion for

forensic accounting. Next year, the chap-

ter plans to add more representatives to

the program to give students a wider va-

riety of alternative career options.

Giving Back to the A&T Community

For more than fifteen years, the Zeta

Sigma Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi has

tutored in three accounting courses; Prin-

ciples of Accounting I, Principles of Ac-

counting II, and Intermediate Accounting

I. Two years ago, the members expand-

ed the list of courses to include Cost Ac-

counting, Managerial Accounting, and

Finance. This semester, three new in-

ductees, Khadijah Thomas, Ciara Wade,

and Riyadh White (all MIS majors), de-

cided to tutor in three additional courses;

Management Information Systems 241,

352, and 447.

The members of Beta Alpha Psi are

donating 51 hours of free tutoring ser-

Alternative Career Paths

The Zeta Sigma Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi hosted an Alternative Career Paths program for the students in the accounting colloquium class during the spring semester. Three panelists de-scribed their career paths and the unique environments of their organiza-tions before addressing questions from the audience. The panelists were Ral-leisha Dean of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Phillip Mark from the Internal Revenue Ser-vice (IRS), and Robert Pompey from the Finance office at North Carolina A&T State University. The panelists were all Aggie alumni. The audience was composed principally of Sopho-

more accounting and finance students.

Students are constantly presented

with career options in public account-

ing and corporate American . This

program was a success for the chapter

and helped to give students other possi-

ble career options. The program also

had a strong impact on one of our

members, Jessica Reid. She is seeking

vices each week. The tutoring

rooms are regularly filled to capaci-

ty. National statistics show that the

DFW rate for entry level account-

ing course is usually above 40%.

Our results indicate that when a

student visits tutoring three or more

times in a semester the DFW rate

drops to 25%. By the end of the

year, the members will have provid-

ed over 1,000 hours of tutoring ser-

vices to the SOBE students. This is

a great example of what Aggies Do!

Page 5

Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP Sponsors the Professional Attire Competition

2014 Graduate Excels at Wake Forest Univesity

Munachimso

Nnebe-

Agumadu

graduated

from North

Carolina

A&T’s un-

dergraduate

Accounting

program in May, 2014. He is now a

student in Wake Forest’s Master of

Science in Accountancy Program

(MSA), where he is attending on a

full tuition scholarship. During his

serves as a treasurer in the Gradu-

ate Accounting Club, and as a

representative for his program on

the WFU School of Business Stu-

dent Government Association. He

is in the top 10% of the MSA

Program at Wake Forest and will

be inducted into their Beta Gam-

ma Sigma chapter later this

spring. He plans to complete all

four parts of the CPA exam be-

fore he begins his full time job

with KPMG in Fall, 2015.

tenure at North Carolina A&T,

he served as the Vice President

of the Zeta Sigma Chapter of Be-

ta Alpha Psi and was a part of

several other honors organiza-

tions. He was also a recipient of

the NCACPA Outstanding Mi-

nority Accounting Student Schol-

arship, the AICPA Scholarship

for Minority Accounting Stu-

dents, the Michael Conway En-

dowed Scholarship and the Re-

ginald Enoch Accounting Schol-

arship. At Wake Forest, Muna