ALPFA Newsletter Spr2011 No. 7

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NewsletterALPFA Florida Internaonal Univer

ISSUE No. 7 / February 28th, 2

Finance Summit, BDO, & Goldman Sachs

We believe in developing you as a professional and

growing together as one family.

Various representatives from Becker were

available to students during our General

Meeting. Illustrated above is Mario Perez..

During the Accounting Presentation,

Stanislav Jansta and several others from

BDO were present.

ALPFA FIU members during the BDO

Presentation.


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Table of Contents

This Week in ALPFA FIU Page 3My ALPFA Story Pages 4 - 5

Last Week in ALPFA FIU Pages 6 - 7

Upcoming Events Pages 8 - 9

Scholarships Pages 10 - 11

Professional Development Page 12Job Opportunities Pages 13 - 14


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This Week in ALPFA FIU

General Meeting (RB 120 at 6:00PM)

Guest Speaker: Carlos Canasi

Carlos Canasi is a former ALPFA FIU President, former PwC Auditor, and current forensic Accountant for

Big 4 Accounting firm Ernst & Young.

Carlos will be presenting the importance of maintaining high grades and high GPA

as well as insight into Forensic Accounting.

Firm Presentations (at 7:00PM)

Cherry Bekaert & Holland (CBC 155)

Cherry, Bekaert & Holland LLP (CB&H) provides high-quality financial and management services to a diverse

and successful client base. As an innovative and highly professional Certified Public Accounting and ConsultiFirm, CB&H serves as a value advisor to over 25,000 clients by providing guidance on important operational

and individual matters. TheFirm of Choice in the Southeast for all Accounting, Audit, Tax, and Consulting needs

CB&H offers the extensive service opportunities normally associated with national firms, coupled with the

personal relationship, value-based fee structure and service continuity of a local firm

Bank Atlantic (RB 120)

Bank Atlantics business strategy was simple and straightforward: give customers great services, solid products

and competitive rates on their deposits. Today, Bank Atlantic is one of the oldest and largest Florida based

community banks, employing 1,300 people who work at 100 branches across South Florida and the Tampa Bay

area. Even as they continue to grow, they will never change our strategy for success, which has served both

Bank Atlantic and our value customers very well.


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My ALPFA Story

In my very first day at ALPFA FIU, I remember attending a meeting in order to get my Passport to Successsigned. Originally, I thought I would be in-and-out, because an organization wasnt for me, or so I thought. Mythinking before ALPFA FIU was go to school, get good-grades, and I would find a job. Oh, how wrong I was

For me, ALPFA FIU personally has been one of my greatest college experiences. When youre part of an

organization with a family-based culture where everyone is willing to help you without asking for anything in

return, it really showcases the character ALPFA FIU Members.

My professional development has increased ten-fold; Im comfortable communicating whether in-person or forpresentations. My network is no longer only student-based, but has expanded to include professionals. ALPFFIU for me has been the next step in my learning and understanding beyond the classroom, and to this day I am

still humbled of the continual knowledge that I gain.

Being Parliamentarian has been an honor and I encourage all our membersto take that leap into a new experience. Past President, Daniel Zamora said it best,

You have to be able to step out of your comfort zone.

You can dream of success or you can wake up and work for it

Regards,

Patrick NoelSpring 2011 Parliamentarian


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My ALPFA Story

We are asked many times what ALPFA FIU has done for us, but there are so many resourceand benefits that stating them will be infinite. To highlight some of things I have personally

received is that ALPFA FIU has devoted its time, network, and most importantly, its members tome. I have learned how to meet, greet, network, and express myself with greater confidence

then I have before in the past. I have learned through how to channel my fear and shyness awayfrom the public and how to communicate not only with fellow members,

but also with professionals.

ALPFA FIU has opened many doors for me and now I am trying to use all those opportunitieswhich lie on the other side of the room. I have obtained one of lifes most treasurable assets-friends, who share similar goals as I do and who I can personally rely on through the best andworst of times and can always be there for support and reliance. I believe ALPFA FIU has so

much knowledge that it makes the world unbalanced.

I cannot express enough gratitude towards what ALPFA FIU has done for me or better saidwhat its continuing to do for me. I still have much to gain and more to learn, but I am glad I am

embarking in this journey with an army of 100+ members, who are all one family, onevoice, one ALPFA FIU.

Carlos Chavez

Proud ALPFA FIU Member


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Last Week in ALPFA FIU

This past week, members were exposed to Becker Professional Education, writers of CPA and CFA reviewcourses, Accounting firm BDO, and Goldman Sachs, a Financial Institution.

During our General Meeting, several representatives from Becker Professional Education were at hand to

present to our members the examination requirements in order to become a Certified Public Accountant or aChartered Financial Analyst. Furthermore, one lucky winner received a 50% discount on one of the review

courses offered by Becker. Among the Becker professionals at hand include Mario Perez CPA andMarketing Specialist Nicole Jacques.

Following our General Meeting, BDO presented for our Accounting members. BDO is a U.S. professionservice firm providing assurance, tax, Financial advisory, and consulting services to a wide range of publicly

traded and privately held companies. Led by Stanislav Jansta CPA, members were treated to a presentationthat gave great suggestions and what to expect during their first years in an Accounting firm. Additionally,

members were informed of BDOs team for Walk for Autism, a charity event made to increase awareness of autism spectrum disorders.

For our Finance members, Armando Acosta, the vice-president in the Investment Management Division of

Goldman Sachs, presented. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a global investment banking and securities firmwhich engages in investment banking, securities, investment management, and other Financial services primarilywith institutional clients. Armando, also a ALPFA member in the Miami chapter, talked about his daily job task

at Goldman Sachs, as well as important tips on how to get ahead in your career path. He spoke about keypoints in his career, how to build that trust with future clients, and the importance of networking. He advisedand answered questions that students had regarding Goldman Sachs and his job position as well as stayed to

network with students in a more personal level.


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Last Week in ALPFA FIU

This past Thursday, February 24th, 2011, ALPFA FIU hosted its bi-annual Finance Summit. The event wahosted in GC 243 and commenced at 7PM. It started with a networking session where students got the

opportunity to network with professionalsas well as other FIU students.

Our moderator was Arianna Monserat, the current Vice president of Finance at ALPFA FIU.

At 8PM the panel discussion began.

Our panel consisted of:Andres Rodriguez, a Executive Recruiter from Stephen James;

Peter Stanham, the Division Controller for the Americas and Caribbean Regions of American Airlines;Adriana Rodriguez, a Private Banking Analyst for JP Morgan; and

Richard Garcia, the Assistant Vice President in Private Banking for Bank United.

The panel discussion went great; it turn out to be an informational, fun and entertaining event.

It was a great turn out, with over 100 students attending. On behalf of ALPFA FIU, we would like to say thankyou to everyone that participated and helped in the event.


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Upcoming Events

ALPFA 2011 Student Regional Symposium

Date: Saturday, March 26th, 2011

Time: 9:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: Tampa, FL

To register, please visit: www.alpfa.org/symposium

RSVP to ALPFA FIU via [email protected] for hotel accommodations

QuickBooks Workshop

Get the opportunity to learn the essentials of QuickBooks, the Accounting and business management toolsused by businesses to keep their Finances organized.

Taught by Julian Cecio, CFO of Island Sky Corporation

Approximately 40 Slots

Date: March 5th, 2011Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM

Location: CBC 252RSVP to [email protected]


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Upcoming Events

Chocolate Sale

Going on now!

For more information, contact Yasnay Montalvo

at [email protected]

Join the ALPFA FIU Relay Team!

Points will be awarded for members that join and receive $25 of contributions under their names

Relay for Life will take place March 4th to the 5th.

A 32GB iPod Touch with a case and charger pack will be raffled; price per raffle ticket is $5.

Go to the following website to join:

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=team&fr_id=29563&team_id=872072


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Scholarships

Sams Club Scholarship Opportunity

Sams Club is sponsoring a $100,000 scholarship competition for students enrolled at an HACU-accreditedHSI. Sams Club, the nations eighth-largest retailer and a leading membership warehouse club,

is a division of Walmart.

We are inviting any full-time sophomore or junior enrolled at an HACU-accredited HSI to participateindividually or on a team of no more than three (3) to write a marketing plan that focuses on building the

connection between Sams Club and the Latino communities it serves.

The program will run from Jan. 3, 2011, to May 14, 2011. The winners will be announced during

DiversityIncs Gala Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 9, 2011, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.For more information, please visit www.hsischolarships.com or contact Carolynn Johnson at

[email protected] or 973-494-0539.

2011 Undergraduate Scholarship Opportunities through College of Business

Various scholarship opportunities posted on the College of Business Website

Each scholarship has specific eligibility criteria and the applications are available to download

http://business.fiu.edu/landon/scholarship_list.cfm

The application period ends April 28th, 2011

2011 FICPA Educational Scholarship

Awards: $2,000 for Full-time Students and $1,000 for Part-time Students

All applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA, registered for at least 6 credit hours, and have American

citizen status or hold permanent residency status

All interested students should submit applications and official transcripts to the School of Accounting

Deadline for submission of the application is February 28th

Please contact [email protected] if you need additional information


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Scholarships

Florida Board of Accountancy Award Scholarships

Scholarship designed for minorities to enter the accounting profession!

Scholarship applicants can be awarded up to $6,000 per semester for a maximum of 2 semesters

The deadline for applications is June 1st

Click here http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/cpa/index.html for access to the application and other

information including qualification criteria (scroll down to the Minority Scholarships section).

Qualified students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as it takes a few weeks for the processing and

approval of each application.

2011 - 2012 AICPA Scholarships

Need money for school?If youre an Accounting student planning to become a CPA, the American Institute of CPAscould have a scholarship with your name on it.

From undergraduate to doctoral levels, the AICPA seeks to build strong CPA professionals

through the following scholarship programs:

AICPA/Accountemps Student Scholarship

Provides financial assistance to outstanding accounting students who demonstrate potential to becomeleaders in the CPA profession; Awards of $2,500

AICPA John L. Carey Scholarship

Offered to liberal arts and nontraditional business degree holders who are pursuing both graduate studies inAccounting and the CPA license; Awards of $5,000

AICPA Fellowship for Minority Doctoral Students

Awarded to Accounting doctoral level students to increase the ethnic diversity of educators incollege and university-level classrooms; Awards of $12,000

AICPA Scholarship for Minority Accounting Students

Extended to outstanding minority students to encourage their selection of Accounting as a major andtheir entry into the profession; Awards of $3,000

The application deadline for all programs is April 1, 2011.

Apply Now to find the scholarship with YOUR name on it!
http://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7r0EGhttp://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7r0EGhttp://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7s0EHhttp://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7s0EHhttp://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7t0EIhttp://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7t0EIhttp://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7u0EJhttp://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7u0EJhttp://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7u0EJhttp://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7t0EIhttp://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7s0EHhttp://email.aicpa.org/cgi-bin15/DM/y/hA0SDSct0GXk0t7r0EG


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Professional Development

BDOs Pathway to Success

Find more information at:

www.bdo.com/careers/students/summerleadership/

Deadline to apply is April 15th, 2011

The Difference Between Mentoring, Coaching and Sponsorship

What's the difference between mentoring, coaching and sponsorship?

Can you make use of all three at the same time?

Which are formal?

How does the cross-cultural aspect work?

Click here to read this article

PwC Online Video ContestWhat Impression will you make?

We want to help students like you articulate your unique personal brand by developing your "elevator pitch",and what better way to practice this than by entering our contest with a chance to win $5,000!

PwC wants to help you develop your personal brand today. Learn more about the contest and submit your vid-

eo at www.facebook.com/PwCUSCareersby March 25, 2011. Who knows, your pitch may earn you $5,000!
http://www.facebook.com/PwCUSCareershttp://www.facebook.com/PwCUSCareershttp://www.facebook.com/PwCUSCareershttp://www.facebook.com/PwCUSCareers


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Job Opportunities

Forensic Accounting Position Available

Ernst & Young is currently seeking an Intern and Staff for its Miami Forensic Accounting group. If you areinterested in the specialized field offraud investigation, I highly encourage you to apply, since entry-level

opportunities in areas other than tax and audit are harder to come by.

For more information and to apply, refer to the following jobs posted on the FIU Career Services website

Summer Internship: During Summer 2011

Fall 2011 Staff 1: Staff 1 member to join the practice in August/September/October of 2011

Matson, Driscoll & Damico, LLP

Forensic Accountant (Staff Accountant) Position Available

Forensic Accounting Work - Responsible for assisting senior staff with individual assignments related to ourLatin American Operations. Consists of analyzing business interruption losses, fraud, and litigation cases.

Requirement: Portuguese Language Capabilities.May require occasional travel to South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Log in to CBA Career Link for more information and to apply!


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Job Opportunities

Documents

ALPFA Newsletter Spr2011 No. 7