The New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA) Staten Island Chapter recently sponsored The World of Accounting in the Center for the Arts Williamson Theatre at the College of Staten Island. The purpose of this free event was to inform high school students about potential careers as certified public accountants (CPA).

The event attracted over 100 students from a variety of high schools including Staten Island Technical, St. Joseph Hill, St. John Villa, Tottenville, Susan Wagner, Petrides, St. Peter’s, Notre Dame Academy, St. Joseph by the Sea, New Dorp, Monsignor Farrell, and the Francis School.

There were also a dozen NYSSCPA members on hand to orchestrate the event. Members included Frank Aquilino, Rosemarie Giovinazzo-Barnickel, Daniel Carbonella, Sharon Sica Costanzo, Anthony Maltese, Patrick Monachino, Thomas O’Neil (President Elect), Joseph Pane, Anthony Tanzi, and Mark Weg.

Chapter President (and CSI Accounting Professor) Cynthia Scarinci chaired the event. This was the first time that such an event was offered to Staten Island high schools.

Prof. Scarinci commented, “I’m thrilled that we were able to offer this program in Staten Island. Accounting is such a lucrative field, with so many employment options that students simply aren’t aware of. Today, they had the benefit of meeting CPAs from a variety of venues, as well as College Accounting majors. They also had the opportunity to ask questions, both formally and informally, of all program participants. They certainly left here with a lot of information.”

The day’s agenda included an introduction by Professor Scarinci about the requirements for licensure in the state of New York, which include college coursework, the CPA exam, and work experience requirements. SI Chapter members from the areas of public accounting, private industry, government, and education spoke to the students about their personal experiences.

David Lee Gonzalez, a senior in CSI ‘s Accounting program, spoke to the students about majoring in Accounting, being a NYSSCPA scholarship recipient, and about working as an intern for Deloitte Touche, a Big Four CPA firm.

Allie Ricciardi, a senior accounting student from Wagner College and an intern for local CPA firm, Potter and La Marca, shared her experiences with the students, as well.

There was a lot of excitement when CSI Admissions Counselor Dolph Mascari called some students to the stage to participate in mock interviews. He shared the importance of a well-written résumé as well as some key interviewing techniques.

Business Department Chair Thomas Tellefsen commented that the “World of Accounting was a wonderful opportunity for high school students to learn about this exciting profession. It was great to see so many dedicated professionals from NYSSCPA giving their time to help students prepare for their futures. Professor Scarinci and all the NYSSCPA members gave the students advice that was realistic and exciting. The students I met where very enthusiastic about the event and the prospect of becoming accountants. They also spoke very positively about CSI. Several students commented that it was their first time at our school. They were amazed at the size and beauty of our campus. Overall, this event helped high school students understand some exciting options as they prepare for the next big steps in their lives… Professor Scarinci and NYSSCPA should be commended for all their hard work to make this happen.”

The event was so successful that the high schools have already contacted Professor Scarinci about making this an annual event.