Accounting Scholars Development Program 2013

July 7th - 11th, 2013 - University of Denver - Denver, Colorado

2013Accounting ScholarsDevelopment Program

2013 ASDP Agenda

July 7, 2013 - July 11, 2013University of Denver - Denver, Colorado

1 7/3/2013 10:39 AMSchool of Accountancy

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July 2013

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August 2013July 07, 2013 - July 13, 2013

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1:30-3:30Check-inat Nagel

1:30pm Bus Leaves for DU

3:30-4:30 Orientation, DCB 140

4:30pm - Team Building ActivityMarcus Commons

6pm - Welcome BBQ Marcus Commons

8pm - Work on Cases

Back to Nagel

8am BreakfasNelson

Campus Saftey

9am - Bob Hickman-"Career Planning: The Road Ahead" DCB 300

10:30am - 11:30pm Financial Literacy DCB 300

11:30pm - LunchNelson

1pm Bus Departs

Deloitte

3:30 Bus Departs

4-5pm Internship DiscussionJoy Burns 229

Change Clothes

5:30pm - 7:30 pm Wellness Activity at Coors Fitness Center

7:30pm Dinner Marcus Commons

9pm Work on Cases

Back to Nagel

8am BreakfastNelson

Application ProcessDCB 300Panel Discussion of Financial Aid, Scholarships, and transfer processes

11-12pm Tax Specialty

12pm - Lunch Marcus Commons

1-3pm Resume WorkshopDCB 345

3-5pm - Career Success Panel DCB 300

Change Clothes

5:30-7:30NetworkReceptioMarcus Common

5:50-7pm Mock Interview

7:30-9:30pm Etiquette DinnerJoy Burns

9:30pm Work on Ca

Back to Nagel

8:45am Group Photo

8am BreakfasNelson

9-10am AICPA Presentation Joy Burns 229

10am Bus Departs

10:30-2pm Visit Ernst & Young Offices

2pm Bus Departs

2:30-4:30pm Tour Coors Field

4:30pm Bus Departs

5-6pm Explore DU's Campus, Visit Bookstore,

6-7pm Dinner Nelson Hall

7pm Work on Cases

Back to Nagel

8am - BreakfastNelson

9-10:30am Case PresentationsJoy Burns 229

10:30-11:30am Closing of ASDPJoy Burns 229

Load Buses

12pm Bus Departs

7 Sunday 8 Monday 9 Tuesday 10 Wednesday 11 Thursday 12 Friday 13 Saturday

Sunday, Ju ly 7, 2013Welcome and Orientat ion

Dr. Sharon Lassar, Program Director, welcomes scholars to the 2013 program and

introduces the assistants and counselors.

Sunday, Ju ly 7, 2013Team Bui lding Act iv i ty

Kathleen Davisson, Assis tant Director of the School of Accountancy and ASDP Program Assis tant, leads a communi ty ser vice team bui lding act iv i ty put t ing together t r icycles.

Sunday, Ju ly 7, 2013Welcome Barbeque

Scholars get acquainted wi th f i rm representat ives, program presenters, and fe l low scholars.

Monday, Ju ly 8Wellness Act iv i ty at Coors Fi tness Center

The Coors Fi tness Center, housed in DU’s Ritchie Center teaches the scholars about fitness and wellness using their rock climbing wall.

Add photo of Ritchie Center here

Tuesday, Ju ly 9Networking Recept ion

and Mock In ter views Scholars participate in mock interviews

with accounting professionals. While waiting to interview, they mingle with

professionals at a networking reception.

Tuesday, Ju ly 9Et iquet te Dinner

Mary Medley, President and CEO of the Colorado Society of CPAs, helps scholars learn the ins and outs of proper dinner etiquette.

Wednesday, Ju ly 10Coors Fie ld Tour

The scholars visit downtown for a behind-the-scenes tour of Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies.

Wednesday, Ju ly 10Visi t to Ernst and Young

The scholars escape to downtown Denver for a visit with Ernst and Young.

Thursday, Ju ly 11Case Presentat ions

Groups of scholars present their findings from their intensive case study to judges from Big 4 Firms.

Career P lanning: The Road AheadBob Hickman, former National Partner for HR and Recruiting at a Top 6 accounting firm, discusses professionalism and careers in accounting.

ASDP Speakers and Panels

Financial L i teracyRonald Thompkins, a practicing public accountant since 1972 and former AICPA board member, discusses how money works and how to develop the skills needed to make informed financial decisions.

Tax Special tyColette M. Gagnet, manager in the Strategic Federal Tax Serivces Group at Grant Thornton, tells scholars about the tax-specific realm of accounting.

ASDP Speakers and Panels

Career Success Panel Speakers from major companies and accounting firms help students understand what it takes to be successful in the field of accounting. Panelists include: Victor Amaya, ClearPath Accountants, LLC Gary Walker, Coors Brewing Andrew Sanchez, Clifton Larson Allen, LLP Deb Smith, Deloitte Kristina Johnson, KPMG Abby Loera, Ernst & Young

The Appl icat ion ProcessSpeakers from across the University of Denver discuss the process of applying, getting admitted, and attending a four year university. Speakers include: Kathleen Davisson, Assistant Director, School of Accountancy Jessica Drelles, Academic and Program Advisor, Daniels College of Business Virginia Egan, Transfer Coordinator, Office of Admissions Heidi Markey, Associate Director, Financial Aid Marilyn Hughes, Financial Officer, Daniels College of Business

Amauri Diaz-AlmonteAmauri Diaz was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republ ic and came to the U.S. in 2008. He current ly at tends Bronx Communi ty Col lege as a business adminis t rat ion and account ing major. Amauri has been highly act ive in school as an account ing tu tor, v ice-president of the Economic Club and a member of the Alpha Beta Gamma Honor Society. Upon graduat ing wi th an associate's degree, Amauri plans to complete a bachelor’s degree in account ing so he can pursue a career as a CPA. One day, he plans to run his own business so he can bet ter control his fu ture and help people in need.

Armando AlvarezArmando Alvarez was born and raised in Southern Cal i fornia but is current ly at tending school at San Jose Ci ty Col lege in San Jose, CA, where he has maintained a 4.0 GPA. In the fal l 2013 semester, he wi l l be returning to Southern Cal i fornia to complete the remainder of his credi ts , in hopes of t ransferr ing to Cal i fornia State Univers i ty Nor thr idge where he wi l l obtain a B.S. in Accountancy. Armando hopes to, one day, become a CPA and work for one of the Big 4 account ing f i rms. In the meant ime, he cont inues to focus on school and plan for the fu ture.

Waleed Ari fWaleed Ari f is current ly at tending Solano Communi ty Col lege in Fair f ie ld, Cal i fornia. He plans to t ransfer to a 4-year col lege next year to major in business adminis t rat ion/economics. From this program, Waleed has gained substant ial knowledge about the f ie ld of account ing which wi l l great ly enhance his abi l i ty to achieve his fu ture goals.

2013 Account ing Scholars

Oscar AyalaOscar Ayala is f rom the nor thern par t of Cal i fornia’s Central Val ley. He graduated wi th honors f rom But te Col lege wi th a degree in social and behavioral science. He also holds a fu l l t ime job as a depar tment manager at Wal -Mar t . Oscar recent ly swi tched his major f rom sociology to business adminis t rat ion af ter real izing that the power to help people can also come in the form of business−business wi th ethics and compassion. Af ter a posi t ive experience wi th a phenomenal account ing ins t ructor, he is now considering the CPA profession. Oscar is planning on at tending Chico State Univers i ty to work on his bachelor’s degree, and eventual ly his masters. During his f ree t ime, Oscar enjoys playing as wel l as watching soccer, rol lerblading, walking his dog, and spending t ime wi th his fami ly.

Ebony Bai leyEbony Bai ley is f rom Colorado Springs, CO. Upon graduat ing from Pikes Peak Communi ty Col lege, she plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in account ing or f inance. Ebony's passion is providing guidance to youth who are bul l ied. An act ive par t ic ipant wi thin Phi Beta Lamdba, Ebony enjoys working wi th numbers and solving chal lenging f inancial issues. She is current ly taking summer c lasses and plans to at tend the Univers i ty of Colorado in Colorado Springs.

Megan BarrBefore the fal l of 2012, Megan was unsure of her next career move. Af ter complet ing her f i rs t account ing class, she knew that pursuing a career in the account ing profession was her best opt ion. Al though she enjoyed a job that provided exci t ing t ravel ing across the countr y, Megan decided to s top work. Then, she enrol led into an account ing program. Megan plans to t ransfer to a univers i ty outs ide of Cal i fornia; The Univers i ty of Texas at Aust in and Brigham Young Univers i ty are her top choices. Megan is exci ted about pursuing a career as a CPA so she can s tar t l iv ing the l i fe she envis ions.



Phi l l ic ia CareyPhil l ic ia Carey l ives jus t outs ide of Washington, DC where she recent ly graduated from Prince George's Communi ty Col lege wi th high honors. She is a ver y act ive s tudent who has held memberships wi th Phi Theta Kappa, Women of Wisdom, and The Honors Academy. She has been accepted for t ransfer to American Univers i ty as a Southern Management Scholarship recipient where she plans to earn a bachelor's degree in account ing. Phi l l ic ia's u l t imate goal is to earn a master's degree in business adminis t rat ion and to become a CPA. During her f ree t ime, she enjoys engaging in act iv i t ies that include wri t ing, videography, reading, and working on computers wi th her husband.

Rodney Cast i l loBorn in Los Angeles, C.A., Rodney Abraham Cast i l lo now resides in Homestead, FL. Rodney received an associate’s degree in account ing from Miami Dade Col lege where he was t reasurer of the s tudent government. Rodney’s passion is helping youth unders tand the impor tance of business and f inance. As a member of the Future Business Leaders of America Club, Rodney was able to compete and become famil iar wi th banking and f inancial assis tance, which generated an interes t in the business f ie ld. He also placed second in a case compet i t ion cal led Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship where he learned the impor tance of entrepreneurship. Rodney has been accepted to the Univers i ty of Denver and the Univers i ty of F lor ida. He wi l l pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree in account ing. Rodney plans to become a CPA so he can cont inue to empower his communi ty.

Muhammed CeesayMuhammed is or iginal ly f rom The Gambia, West Afr ica, and is the f i rs t in his fami ly to receive formal educat ion. Muhammed is a recent graduate f rom Bronx Communi ty Col lege wi th an associate’s degree in business adminis t rat ion and account ing. As a s tudent, Muhammed worked wi th organizat ions on campus such as the In ternat ional Students c lub, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society -Lambda Nu Chapter and Alpha Bata Gamma Honor Society. He ser ved as Vice-President of the Business Club. He is a s tudent member of the American Ins t i tu te of Cer t i f ied Publ ic Account ing. Muhammed has been accepted into the Zickl in School of Business at Baruch Col lege where he wi l l pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree in account ing. Muhammed’s dream is to become a CPA and work for a reputable and prest igious CPA f i rm so he can t ransfer the knowledge and experience to help others in his countr y and other par ts of Afr ica.


Geraldine CookGeraldine is or iginal ly f rom Mani la, Phi l ippines and has been in the U.S. s ince 2006. Geraldine is working on her associate’s degree in business at Ohlone Col lege in Fremont, CA. As a member of Phi Theta Kappa - Beta Tau Mu chapter, Geraldine has held two of f icer posi t ions - secretar y and vice president. She plans to t ransfer to San Jose State Univers i ty to get a bachelor's degree in business adminis t rat ion or account ing. Geraldine is gratefu l and proud to be an account ing scholar and she is highly in teres ted in learning more about what accountants do besides prepare taxes.

Margari ta FinemanMargari ta Fineman was born in San Francisco, Cal i fornia, the third of f ive chi ldren. She at tends Diablo Val ley Col lege, a communi ty col lege in P leasant Hi l l , Cal i fornia, where she s tudies economics. Margari ta hopes to t ransfer in the Fal l of 2014. One day, wi th the help, encouragement, and suppor t f rom her loving fami ly, Margari ta hopes to become a tax at torney jus t l ike her mother and uncle. She loves school and learning about becoming a CPA. Margari ta also l ikes to t r y exot ic food with her s is ter, watch movies wi th her brothers, and cheer on the San Francisco Giants wi th her father.

Rober to GalvanRober t is complet ing his Associates Degree at Arapahoe Communi ty Col lege and wi l l t ransfer to the Univers i ty of Denver in the fal l where wi l l pursue a dual major in account ing and f inance. He maintains a 3.9 GPA. Rober t is a s tudent member of the AICPA and COCPA, a member of the Phi Theta Kappa, Sigma Phi chapter and the National Honor and Meri t Scholar Society. When he is not in school or working fu l l t ime, Rober t enjoys cycl ing, weight t raining, and jogging.


Stanice GaspardStanice, born in Saint Lucia, now resides in Brooklyn, N.Y. A graduate wi th a A.S. degree in Account ing from LaGuardia Communi ty Col lege, N.Y., Stanice plans to at tend Baruch Col lege to pursue a dual BBA and MBA in Accountancy. Growing up, Stanice frequent ly saw people lose assets due to a lack of f inancial l i teracy. This experience has mot ivated him to pursue careers in account ing and f inance. Stanice has worked internships wi th UBS Weal th Management as a Financial Advisor’s assis tant and the American Stock Transfer and Trus t in the area of account ing and f inance. Stanice is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society and LaGuardia’s Honor Student Advisor y Commit tee and Stanice was awarded the 2013-14 AICPA Scholarship for Minori ty Account ing Students.

Rasheed GrahamRasheed l ives in Centennial , Colorado and recent ly graduated from Arapahoe Communi ty Col lege wi th an associate’s degree in broadband technical management. He also holds an Associate's of Appl ied Science in Computer Networking and a Bachelor's of Science in Information Securi ty f rom ITT Technical Ins t i tu te. Rasheed wi l l be t ransferr ing to Univers i ty of Denver this fal l and wi l l major in account ing. His u l t imate goal is to become a CPA. He is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and is President of Arapahoe's Sigma Phi chapter. He is also act ive in National Society of Col legiate Scholars and the National Honor & Meri t Scholars Society. In 2013, he was nominated to the 2013 Al l -Colorado Academic Team.

Esmeralda Gut ierrezEsmeralda is current ly a fu l l t ime s tudent at Cañada Col lege in Redwood Ci ty, CA. Af ter complet ing her f i rs t account ing course, Esmeralda changed her goal of obtaining a cer t i f icate in medical bi l l ing to pursuing a career in account ing. The teaching of an insight fu l and expressive female professor inf luenced Esmeralda’s decis ion. Esmeralda has earned numerous honors at Cañada Col lege including a posi t ion on the 2012 Dean’s L is t , an entr y - level Bookkeeper Cer t i f icate as a Summa Cum Laude s tudent and the 2013 Cañada Account ing Scholarship. Esmeralda now feels pr iv i leged to have been selected to the ASDP Class of 2013. She is exci ted about pursuing a career as a CPA. Esmeralda is a proud mother of a 7-year old gir l and a wife of a ver y suppor t ive husband. She enjoys spending t ime outdoors, running, and doing physical exercise act iv i t ies.


Jef f HobbsJeff resides in Los Angeles, CA where he is a sophomore at Rio Hondo Col lege majoring in business management. He is the president of Rio Hondo's chapter Phi Beta Lambda. Jef f plans to t ransfer to the Univers i ty of Southern Cal i fornia so he can pursue his passion for a career in the spor ts industr y. In 2013, Jef f competed at the Phi Beta Lambda Cal i fornia State Conference against chapters f rom schools such as USC, UCLA, UC San Diego, and UC Berkeley and placed 2nd in the Account ing Analysis and Decis ion Making event and 1st in the Account ing for Professionals event. In late June, he competed in those two events at the Phi Beta Lambda National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, CA against s tudents f rom chapters across the nat ion. Jef f is a passionate spor ts fan, especial ly for his Broncos!

Marisol HobbsMarisol is f rom Los Angeles, Cal i fornia and has completed her associate degree at Rio Hondo Col lege where she was the recipient of the 2012-2013 Account ing Student of the Year award. She ser ved as secretar y for Rio Hondo's Phi Beta Lambda chapter, was nominated for the Who's Who award and earned 2nd place in a case presentat ion at the 2013 State Business Leadership Conference. Marisol has been accepted to the Univers i ty of Cal i fornia- I r v ine and af ter complet ing her bachelor's degree, she plans to earn her Master's degree in Account ing. Ul t imately, Marisol 's goal is to become a CPA. She is current ly employed at Wasatch Corporat ion where she manages inventor y, accounts receivable, product development, impor t ing and purchasing. During her f ree t ime, she enjoys watching the Dodgers, playing tennis, snowboarding and spending t ime wi th her fami ly.

Zainab JannehZainab Janneh was born in Sierra Leone, West Afr ica and current ly l ives in Brentwood, Cal i fornia. Zainab won a Divers i ty Immigrant Visa lot ter y out of mi l l ions of people in 2008, which automatical ly made her a permanent US resident. She recent ly graduated from Los Medanos Col lege in Pi t t sburg, CA and wi l l be t ransferr ing to UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. She wi l l pursue her bachelor’s degree in account ing and her u l t imate goal is to earn her CPA l icense. In addi t ion to earning outs tanding grades, Zainab works fu l l - t ime at a convenience s tore where she manages the cashiers and prepares f inancial s tatements.


Gabriel JohnsonGabriel , born in Minnesota, is current ly l iv ing in Nor thern Cal i fornia. He at tends Solano Communi ty Col lege where he is pursuing a dual in degree in economics and account ing. He is contemplat ing t ransferr ing to the Univers i ty of Cal i fornia, Berkely this fal l . His goal is to pursue a career as a CPA.

Maria LeonMaria Leon is or iginal ly f rom Mexico, but is now l iv ing in Cal i fornia wi th her fami ly. Maria is a graduate of Ohlone Communi ty Col lege in Fremont,CA and has been accepted as a s tudent at CSU East Bay in Hayward, CA. In addi t ion to being a fu l l - t ime s tudent, Maria worked as a tu tor in Ohlone's Col lege's Engl ish Learning Center and at Macys Newpark Mal l . Maria plans on becoming a CPA and her dream is to own her own account ing f i rm one day.

E lena Mar t inezElena Mar t inez is f rom a picturesque town at the base of the Sangre de Cris to Mountains cal led Las Vegas, New Mexico. Yes, there's a Vegas in New Mexico! She is 18 years old and jus t graduated wi th an associate's degree in business f rom Luna Communi ty Col lege. She is a member of both Phi Theta Kappa and Phi Eta Sigma honor societ ies. Her plans are to at tend the Univers i ty of Denver and double major in account ing and internat ional business. E lena is act ive in soccer and t rack and this summer, she wi l l compete in an internat ional f r iendly soccer match in Iceland. In her spare t ime, she worked as a research assis tant at Highland's Univers i ty where she analyzed data using advanced s tat is t ical sofware.


Mary McCoyMary Ayla McCoy wi l l be enter ing her sophomore year at Communi ty Col lege of Denver. She plans to t ransfer to ei ther Colorado Univers i ty or the Univers i ty of Denver. In high school, Mary was a member of Hermans del Futur to, a s tudent organizat ion which is speci f ical ly designed to of fer professional and leadership development ski l l s to Lat ino high school s tudents in the Denver area. Mary remains exci ted about pursuing a career in business and account ing.

Lu is Pat lanLuis Antonio Pat lan was born and raised in the San Fernando Val ley in the Los Angeles metro area. He is of Mexican descent and was raised in a bi l ingual home that impressed upon him the value of educat ion. He credi ts his high school calculus teacher wi th awakening his academic cur iosi ty and his desire to unders tand the beauty and complexi ty of the world through numbers. He at tended Los Angeles Mission Col lege where he earned an associate's degree in account ing wi th a GPA of 3.4. He has decided to at tend Cal i fornia State Univers i ty, Nor thr idge, where he wi l l major in account ing and work towards his goal of becoming a CPA. In his f ree t ime, he enjoys playing rock gui tar and taking par t in act iv i t ies at his church.

Adam PerkinsAdam Perkins is a junior t ransferr ing to Baruch Col lege where he wi l l pursue a dual degree in f inance and account ing. His goal is to have a career as an investment banker. Adam at tends the Borough of Manhat tan Communi ty Col lege in New York and has an overal l GPA of 3.6 and 3.9 for his major. He was the t reasurer of BMCC's Account ing Club and in 2010, he founded The Gatekeepers Inc., a private social c lub for young professionals of fer ing social , professional, and leadership development. Adam has done an internships at Prudent ial Insurance and Goldman Sachs and he was recent ly selected for a fe l lowship wi th Management Leaders of Tomorrow.


David PonceDavid Ponce was born and raised in Sylmar, Cal i fornia in Los Angeles County where he at tended Los Angeles Mission Col lege in Sylmar. He plans to t ransfer to Cal i fornia State Univers i ty, Nor thr idge where he wi l l major in account ing. As a pastor's son, church ser ves a central role in David's l i fe and he act ively ser ves two congregat ions, a smal l Hispanic congregat ion in San Fernando, CA cal led Iglesia Bet -e l and As You Are Church in Reseda, CA. When he isn' t working at Six F lags in Valencia, CA or ser ving his church, he enjoys Dodger basebal l and the WWE. David's u l t imate career goal is to become a Cer t i f ied Publ ic Accountant.

Diana PrevezDiana Prevez is or iginal ly f rom Cuba and has been in the Uni ted States for 4 years. She lef t Cuba when she was 19 years old and traveled to Spain where she l ived for 2 years. She has worked hard, not only to sus tain hersel f , but also to be able to send money to her fami ly in Cuba. She ment ioned that l ike most people in Cuba, her fami ly l ives in pover ty. To earn money, she worked many jobs.. . as a te lephone operator in a taxi s tat ion, as a secretar y for a real s tate agency, and as a home care at tendant for two real ly special senior ci t izens. She usual ly worked two jobs at a t ime, one fu l l - t ime and one par t - t ime. Af ter two lonely years in Spain, having no possibi l i ty to s tudy because of her low income and lack of f inancial aid, she decided to come to what she descr ibes as this "amazing countr y" wi th a goal to s tudy and become a professional in the Uni ted States of America. Diana has earned near ly per fect grades in col lege and even though she works two jobs, she s t i l l makes t ime to volunteer at a homeless shel ter. Diana s tated: "The goal of helping my fami ly, who I t reasure, and also others in my communi ty who l ive in less than ideal condi t ions is what pushes me ever y day to wake up and f ight for my dreams... using my books as my weapons."

Mayra RojasMayra Rojas Perez was born in Mexico and moved to Watsonvi l le, Cal i fornia about ten years ago. When she s tar ted col lege, she didn’t know what she wanted to s tudy. Inni t ia l ly she chose to become a medical assis tant and earned an Associate's Degree in Medical Assis t ing. However, she decided that account ing was where her passions l ied, so she returned to Cabri l lo Col lege and earned a second associate’s degree in general business and l iberal ar ts . Next fal l , she' l l be at tending San Jose State Univers i ty and wi l l work to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Adminis t rat ion wi th a Concentrat ion in Account ing. In her f ree t ime she l ikes to l is ten to music and spend t ime wi th her brother and sis ter.


Salvador RosalesSal Rosales is f rom San Jose and current ly at tends San Jose Ci ty Col lege where he is one semester away from transferr ing to a four year univers i ty. He has decided to major in account ing and is choosing between San Jose State Univers i ty and San Diego State Univers i ty. When he is not at school he helps manage Guadalajara F lowers, a f lower shop owned and operated by his fami ly. His fami ly's business inspired him to s tudy account ing as he came to unders tand the need for ef f ic iency in the business. He is also involved in his communi ty and volunteers wi th the Center for Employment and Training's Immigrant and Ci t izenship Program where he helps to teach a ci t izenship c lass and also helps to process ci t izenship appl icat ions and Deferred Act ion for Chi ldhood Arr ivals appl icat ions. He plans to become a CPA and help smal l businesses, l ike his fami ly's f lower shop, at tain success through ef fect ive account ing.

Ayodej i SanusiAyo Sanus is a high school s tudent in Aurora, Colorado and is concurrent ly enrol led at Communi ty Col lege of Aurora. He plans to at tend an NCAA Divis ion One univers i ty where he can take par t in compet i t ive in terscholast ic ath le t ics. Ayo is an act ive par t ic ipant wi th Junior Achievement USA.

Giovanne SloleyGiovanne was born and raised in the rural communi ty of Santa Cruz, Jamaica. There, he at tended Black River High School where he discovered his passion for account ing. Af ter graduat ing high school, he imigrated to the Uni ted States where he is current ly a s tudent at the Borough of Manhat tan Communi ty Col lege (BMCC) pursuing an Associates Degree in Account ing. He is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor society and is also the Vice President of BMCC's Account ing Club. Giovanne plans to t ransfer to Baruch Col lege's Zickl in School of Business or possibly the Univers i ty of F lor ida to pursue an account ing degree wi th a minor in business law. Af ter these accomplishments, he plans to s i t for the CPA exam and work to earn his l icense.


Edwin TopeteEdwin Topete is a f i rs t generat ion American from Colorado Springs, CO and the f i rs t f rom his fami ly to at tend col lege. Edwin at tended Pikes Peak Communi ty Col lege and plans to at tend the Univers i ty of Colorado at Colorado Springs this coming fal l . He is an act ive member in Phi Beta Lambda and recent ly took f i rs t place in Financial Analysis and Decis ion Making s tate level compet i t ion. Edwin's goal is to become an entrepreneur and a business leader in his communi ty.

Andres ToralesAndres Torales -Gomez has l ived in Denver for most of his l i fe and he loves his hometown. He was selected to take par t in Colorado's ASCENT program (concurrent high school and col lege enrol lment for highly mot ivated s tudents) and he has completed his f i rs t year at the Communi ty Col lege of Aurora. He is a par t of Phi Theta Kappa honor society and is current ly an intern at Firs tBank. Andres is dedicated to achieving his goal of becoming a CPA and ser ving his communi ty.

Meagan Vigi lMeagan l ives in Hunt ington Beach, Cal i fornia. Af ter at taining an Associate’s Degree in Business Management wi th an emphasis in Account ing from Orange Coast Col lege, she plans on t ransferr ing to Denver Univers i ty to achieve a Bachelor of Science in Account ing. Her long- term career goals include obtaining a Master of Accountancy and to becoming a CPA so she can work at an account ing f i rm. She has been involved in retai l management for the las t two years, and enjoys baking, boxing, and reading.


Chantel WalkerChantel Walker current ly at tends Pr ince George's Communi ty Col lege where she wi l l be graduat ing in spring 2014 with her associates degree in business adminis t rat ion. She maintains a 3.87 cumulat ive GPA and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She is also an Apar tment and Off ice Bui lding Associat ion (AOBA) scholar, and has par t ic ipated in mul t ip le team bui lding communi ty ser vice act iv i t ies wi th this organizat ion. She is the head manager of her col lege's men's basketbal l team, which is where she spends most of her evenings during the semester. Chantel is an act ive member of Women of Wisdom, which is a group pledged to enhancing the l ives of female s tudents at her col lege. Her plan is to t ransfer to Virginia Commonweal th Univers i ty in Fal l 2014, where she wi l l major in spor ts management and minor in account ing. Aside from academics and extracurr icular act iv i t ies, she enjoys spending t ime wi th f r iends and fami ly, wri t ing and per forming poetr y, and working out to improve hersel f mental ly and physical ly.

David SalgadoDavid was recent ly admit ted to The Cox Business School at SMU, where he wi l l be receiving the SMU Meri t Scholarship this coming fal l . He wi l l pursue his bachelors degree in account ing and plans to be par t of the graduat ing class of 2015. David earned an Associate’s in Science from Nor th Lake Col lege this past spr ing. He graduated from Grand Prair ie High School in the top 10% of his c lass in 2010. In high school, he was on the soccer team for al l four years and was captain and MVP for his las t two. He was involved in the National Honor Society, Class Off icer, Student Counci l Off icer, and was a member of the Great Texas Scholars.

E l len QuinnEllen has earned an Associate in Science in Business Adminis t rat ion from Victor Val ley Col lege and is current ly taking a few more c lasses before t ransferr ing to a univers i ty. She has not yet decided which univers i ty she wi l l at tend, but she has decided that she wi l l major in account ing and work to earn her CPA License. She is passionate about the environment and green ini tat ives. E l len is wel l - rounded and driven to pursue account ing. In her f ree t ime, El len enjoys drawing.

2013 ASDP Counselors

Danika Tibbet tsDanika is a Colorado nat ive and recent DU grad. She graduated in the Spring of 2013 with her BS in Account ing and her Masters of Accountancy. This fal l , she is working in the School of Accountancy whi le f inishing up her CPA exam. In January, she wi l l be moving to Norwalk CT to work for the Financial Account ing Standards Board as a post -graduate assis tant. Danika ser ved as the head counselor for the ASDP Program in 2013. She descr ibes her role as rewarding as she was able to see the progression of the program from the planning phases through to the individual success s tor ies of each at tendee. She enjoyed the oppor tuni ty to ser ve as a resource throughout the camp, whether i t be providing t ranspor tat ion from the airpor t , la te -night working snacks, or insights in to an account ing internship. She was able to share her path to becoming an account ing major and help s tudents real ize the oppor tuni t ies avai lable to them to help wi th the pursui t of a 4-year account ing degree and professional career. Danika says of her experience: “ I was impressed wi th the s tudents’ level of mot ivat ion and wi l l ingness to work hard throughout the camp, even when i t came t ime to work late in to the night. The s tudents enhanced their in ter viewing ski l l s and learned the power of networking over the course of the week – I am conf ident they wi l l use these tools to achieve their academic and career goals in the ver y near fu ture!”

Cara SylversCara, or iginal ly f rom Houston, Texas, t ransferred to the Univers i ty of Denver las t year af ter at tending ASDP 2012. She says her experience as a s tudent was l i fe changing, but as a counselor this year was di f ferent. I t was rewarding for her to see s tudents go through the same experience that she did and this t ime, she was able to use what she learned to help mentor the current ASDP s tudents. The s tudents were aware that Cara was an ASDP alumna and of ten referred to her for advice. Many of the s tudents were inspired by her s tor y because they came from simi lar backgrounds. I t reassured their conf idence because she was evidence of the fact that you can succeed at whatever you put your mind to, regardless of where you come from. Cara says, “Overal l , th is experience was rewarding and al lowed me to see the program from a di f ferent perspect ive. By sharing my experience wi th others, my thinking became more centered on helping the s tudents which cul t ivated my passion for divers i ty.”


Ryan NguyenRyan Nguyen is current ly a s tudent at Metropol i tan State Univers i ty where he wi l l f in ish his Bachelor’s Degree before t ransferr ing to a Univers i ty to pursue a graduate degree in account ing. He wants to pursue account ing because he has a “business -man l ike mind” and account ing is the language of business. He thought i t was best to major in an area where account ing is necessar y and, as he cont inues on his educat ional path, he is f inding himsel f more and more in love wi th the subject . Ryan says that af ter the ASDP event, he gained more knowledge of publ ic account ing, saying that “ i t def ini te ly persuaded me that publ ic account ing is the best opt ion for any account ing major af ter obtaining a graduate degree.” And, as the youngest in a fami ly of s ix and the f i rs t to graduate col lege, Ryan cer tainly plans to work hard to f ind success in his career.

Vy NguyenVy wil l be f inishing her undergraduate degree in account ing at the Univers i ty of Denver this fal l quar ter and hopes to pursue her Masters in Accountancy next spr ing. She plans on complet ing an intership this winter and is looking forward to the chance to get s tar ted in publ ic account ing. Vy ci tes her experience as a counselor at ASDP as “absolute ly amazing,” saying that “ I t was a ver y rewarding experience for me because I was able to give back to Daniels communi ty and the School of Accountancy. I bel ieve this program has helped enrich the l ives of the par t ic ipants t remendously by showing them how ful f i l l ing a career in account ing can be. I th ink ever yone has lef t the program more inspired and motivated than when they f i rs t arr ived, whether they were a par t ic ipant or a counselor.” Vy goes on to say that ASDP is a unique program, one she hopes more scholars can benef i t f rom in the fu ture as they consider careers in account ing.

Evan RomeroEvan is current ly a Senior at the Univers i ty of Denver. He was recent ly accepted into the dual -degree program and wi l l , therefore, be f inishing his Masters of Accountancy by August 2014. He wi l l then begin a fu l l - t ime Audi t posi t ion wi th Ernst & Young. Evan says he volunteered for ASDP because he has always been t ru ly dedicated to ser ving the communi ty and giving back to those who are in need. He feels ver y priv i leged to have been able to help out wi th ASDP and work wi th the s tudents and hopes one day to give back to the communi ty through what he has experienced at DU and in the business world.

Dani DylanDani Dylan is a dual -degree s tudent at the Daniels Col lege of Business at the Univers i ty of Denver. She is current ly working on her BS in Account ing, BSBA in Finance, and Masters in Account ing. She wi l l f in ish the program and graduate wi th her degrees at the end of the quar ter in summer 2014. Dani is also in terning at Deloi t te for the fal l of 2013 in the Advisor y pract ice and works as a teaching and graduate assis tant in Daniels, where she enjoys working wi th al l of the s tudents. In her spare t ime, Dani enjoys hiking, biking, watching TV and playing wi th her four wonder fu l dogs (whom she cal ls her kids) . “Being a counselor for the 2013 ASDP was ver y fun,” she says, “ I learned qui te a lot f rom the s tudents and the program.”

Lucas MaishLucas graduated high school in The Woodlands, Texas before moving to Colorado for his undergraduate career at the Univers i ty of Denver. He recent ly graduated from DU with his bachelor’s degree in account ing and a minor in economics. In his f ree t ime, he l ikes to s tay act ive, preferably by ski ing or playing basketbal l . He is current ly s i t t ing for the CPA exam and plans on launching his career here in Denver. “The Account ing Scholars Development Program,” he says, “ is a great program with great people, and I am proud to have had the oppor tuni ty to be a par t of i t .”


Mahdi BhuyanMahdi Bhuyan was born and raised in Bangladesh. He moved to USA in 2009 with his fami ly. Current ly he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in account ing at the Univers i ty of Denver. He at tended in the ASDP 2012 as a s tudent & became a peer counselor for the ASDP 2013. During his f ree t ime, he l ikes movies, music, t ravel ing & vis i t ing fami ly.

Steve Norr isSteve, a Denver, CO nat ive, is current ly a s tudent at Metropol i tan State Univers i ty of Denver pursuing his Masters of Accountancy. He is also the founder and president of the ALPFA Student Chapter at MSU Denver. This summer he has a tax internship in the account ing depar tment at Heal thgrades. Steve previously at tended CU-Boulder and received a B.A. in Pol i t ical Science, then went on to ser ve as an Off icer in the U.S. Marine Corps. Trading in his combat boots and camouf lage for income s tatements and balance sheets, Steve plans to s i t for the CPA exam as soon as possible and hopes to enjoy a long and rewarding career in publ ic account ing. Steve is a spor ts fanat ic and spends his f ree t ime cheering on his favori te spor ts teams (Go Broncos!) He also enjoys playing gol f , tennis, and Texas Hold ‘Em.


Daniel O’Laughl inDanny is a senior graduate and undergraduate account ing s tudent at the Univers i ty of Denver. In Februar y, he passed the CMA exam and hopes to pass the CPA exam by summer 2014. Original ly f rom Chico, Cal i fornia, he at tended Pleasant Val ley High School. His hobbies include ski ing, biking, and compet ing in t r iath lons. He completed his f i rs t Hal f I ronman Dis tance Tr iath lon this past summer and hopes to complete a Ful l I ronman next summer. This was Danny’s second year as a counselor for the Account ing Scholars Development Program.

2013 ASDP AdministratorsSharon founded the Accounting Scholars Development Program in 2010 to attract exceptional students to a profession that will use their talents and propel their careers in various rewarding directions. She is the John J. Gilbert Endowed Professor and Director of the School of Accountancy in the Daniels College of Business at The University of Denver. Lassar has served the profession in many roles and is currently on the Pre-Certification Education Executive Committee of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Society of CPAs. She earned her PhD at the University of Southern California, her Master of Taxation at Bentley University, and her Bachelor of Accounting at West Virginia University.

Dr. Sharon Lassar

Kathleen has a BS in Accounting and Master of Accountancy from the University of Denver. She is a licensed CPA in the state of Colorado. She serves on the Careers committee of the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants. She has held executive positions with a computer networking firm and a computer training firm. She teaches accounting information systems and managerial accounting. Her favorite role is that of advisor to the dual degree accounting students at the University of Denver.

Kathleen Davisson

As former treasurer and board member of The Carter G. Woodson Foundation (Newark, N.J.), Sidney Askew is an Associate Professor of Accounting at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY). Sidney has worked as an examiner for the Comptroller of the Currency. In private industry, he held several roles from auditor to financial analyst for many leading global financial institutions. A member of the AICPA, the ACFE, and the American Accounting Association, Sidney’s favorite role is teaching accounting and steering accounting students towards the many career opportunities in the accounting profession. Sidney is a graduate of Syracuse University and Cornell University.

Sidney Askew

Jim Andrews is an accounting professor at Ohlone College in Fremont, California. After earning his BA in Economics from the University of Missouri and his MBA from Saint Louis University, he started a career as an auditor with Arthur Anderson & Co. He is a licensed CPA and has worked for over two decades in private industry, primarily in the computer software industry. He earned his PhD from the University of New Mexico and has been working as a professor at Ohlone for the past seven years.

Jim Andrews

Accounting Scholars Development Program2013 Sponsors

Documents

Accounting Scholars Development Program 2013