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BizBuzz
Accounting major builds diversity leadership capabilities.
Dressed for success, accounting major Jaleesa Lynch found herself stuck in airports as she tried to make her way cross-country from Ft. Lauderdale to Hollywood, California, to participate in KPMG’s Future Diversity Leaders (FDL) program—a two-day workshop for fifty exceptional students nationwide. Faced with keen competition for talented employees, KPMG established the program to identify top diverse students early—and keep them in the firm’s pipeline. When she arrived at 10:00 p.m. local time, Lynch had missed the entire first day’s activities, but that didn’t stop her from making the most of the second. “I learned more about KPMG, met students from across the United States, got a perspective on how to apply my skills, and realized that I want to focus on IT audit, something that I didn’t know prior to the event,” said Lynch, a sophomore with many academic achievements, hours of community service, an NAACP scholarship for future accountants, and an internship with the accounts payable team at NASA to her credit. Since returning from the conference, she has toured Miami’s local KPMG offices with an intern and had lunch with Fern Munk, KPMG’s Florida International University campus recruiter. The program also provides a mentor, in her case, an already familiar figure and longtime informal mentor, her mother, Antoinette Lynch, assistant professor, School of Accounting. FDL gives her a compelling incentive to maintain a high GPA—hers currently comes in at 3.6: as much as $6,000 in scholarships, an internship with the firm, and possibly full-time employment when she graduates. Student organization provides additional leadership opportunities. In addition to the FDL, Lynch has joined Beta Alpha Psi to develop her leadership skills further. “Beta offers lots of opportunities to learn about firms, meet recruiters, and become a leader,” she said. “I am on the continuing professional education (CPE) committee—a group that helps organize CPE events for the School of Accounting. I chose it because most of its work will occur during October, which fits my study schedule well.” Lynch credits her mother with urging her to take advantage of any professional development prospects that come along. “She told me that you never know what might be worthwhile for you and lead to other possibilities,” Lynch said. “I took her advice, and I always urge my friends to do the same.” Learn more. Careers at KPMG: www.kpmgcareers.com |
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