鈥楳eet the Firms鈥� Sees Impressive Turnout in Return to In-Person Format
Tue, 09/28/2021 - 03:49pm | By: Van Arnold
The opportunity to engage in a traditional format was never more appreciated than during the 鈥淢eet the Firms鈥� event held at The University of 51逗奶 Mississippi鈥檚 Trent Lott Center earlier this month.
Hosted annually by the School of Accountancy in USM鈥檚 College of Business and Economic Development, last year鈥檚 event was held in a virtual format for fall 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Employers returned to the Hattiesburg campus for the fall 2021 event held on Sept. 2, with 18 firms represented and more than 150 attendees participating.
鈥淲e still had a number of firms unable to participate this fall due to both COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida, but we were honestly thrilled to have the firms and students back on campus for the fall 2021 event,鈥� said Amber Hatten, Professor of Practice and Director of USM鈥檚 MPA Program. 鈥淢eet the Firms provides an important networking opportunity for accounting students to connect with employers, for both internship and full-time positions.鈥�
Added Hatten: 鈥淭here is truly no substitute for face-to-face interaction and conversation between students and employers, and we were grateful to be able to plan and execute the event successfully in a safe, spacious and sanitized way.鈥�
鈥淢eet the Firms鈥� is a national initiative designed to provide accounting firms and other companies throughout the country an opportunity to showcase their organization鈥檚 attributes to accounting students. With 100 percent placement for USM students in the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) Program, Meet the Firms offers that first opportunity for students to begin the career development process.
"We feel that this event was a massive success during these trying times. Many of the firm representatives shared remarks about their appreciation of our event being in-person," said Dr. Marvin Bouillon, Director of USM鈥檚 School of Accountancy.
Firms participating in the event included:
Alexander, Van Loon, Sloan, Levens, & Favre, PLLC
Becker CPA Review
Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC
Crow Shields Bailey PC
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
GranthamPoole PLLC
Hancock Whitney
Harper Rains Knight & Company
Horne LLP
Matthews Cutrer & Lindsay, P.A.
Mississippi Department of Revenue
Mississippi Office of the State Auditor
Mississippi Society of CPAs
Piltz, Williams, LaRosa & Company
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
Silas Simmons, LLP
Topp McWhorter Harvey PLLC
UWorld Rogers CPA Review
The USM School of Accountancy offers an accounting undergraduate program and a Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) program, both of which are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. Meet the Firms is just one of many opportunities the School provides to set their students up for success.
To learn more about the School of Accountancy and the College of Business and Economic Development, call 601.266.4659 or visit: /business/index.php