Strome College of Business hosts 3rd annual Accounting Readiness Workshop

More than 30 students get jump-start on

Even before fall semester classes had officially started, more than 35 students were at the Strome College of Business, honing their accounting skills.

The Strome College of Business School of Accountancy sponsored the third annual ODU Accounting Readiness Workshop (ARW) last week, led by Strome’s Frank Holman and Paige O’Shaughnessy.

The purpose of the voluntary, four-day ARW was to better prepare students for the start of the semester by providing a review of the accounting cycle, as well as for the recruiting season, which kicks off early in September. Over the course of the four days, students met accounting faculty, reinforced their knowledge of financial accounting principles through practice exercises, met one-on-one with industry professionals, attended presentations by professional on career readiness, and participated in an etiquette dinner which included networking opportunities with professionals in the community.

The workshop was open to all accounting majors completing at least ACCT 201 Principles of Financial Accounting.

The event kicked off with lunch on Monday afternoon with members of the School of Accountancy faculty in attendance. Students were introduced to faculty members who took a few minutes to discuss their accounting journeys. The remainder of the afternoon, students were engaged in discussions on certifications and a general review of the accounting cycle by working through exercises as a group to prepare for Tuesday’s sessions.

On Tuesday, students started the morning with breakfast and then went to work on a manual practice set to reinforce the accounting cycle. In teams of two, students completed a month of transactions for ‘Computer Solutions’ which included recording transactions, posting to the general ledger, and preparing an unadjusted trial balance. After lunch, students continued to work on the practice set with discussion about the adjusting process and then preparing the necessary adjusting entries to complete a set of financial statements. The afternoon session wrapped up with students meeting one-on-one with local professionals who took time out of their busy schedules to review resumes and provide guidance on students’ accounting career journeys.

On Wednesday, the workshop took a break from hands-on accounting and focused on professionalism and preparing for internship opportunities. Professionals from several firms presented on topics such as ‘Navigating the Recruiting Process’, ‘The Ultimate Candidate’, ‘Life-Long Learning’, ‘The Power of Effective Communication’, and ‘Show up Like a Pro’. Students were given an opportunity to practice what they had learned Wednesday evening with an etiquette dinner which was attended by both students and professionals.

Thursday, the focus returned to the accounting cycle, with a wrap-up of the financial statement preparation by going through the statement of cash flows. The event concluded with a presentation by Beta Alpha Psi and NABA on continuing student engagement through involvement in campus organizations.

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive:  

"Participating in the ARW (Accounting Readiness Workshop) was an invaluable experience no transfer or returning student can afford to pass on. There is no question I am more prepared for classes and a future career after attending the workshop than if I had not!  From resume help, to classroom readiness, to industry networking, everyone can benefit from something offered during the week!  Do yourself a favor and attend!  Trust me, you won't regret it!"

“There was in incredible amount of value packed into these 4 days! The amount of work and thought and care that went into this workshop from you guys as well as all of the coordinators is evident. Thank you so much for the food, the presentations, and the problems sets that helped us ease our way back into this semester…. The workshop was beyond my expectations and also a lot of fun. I can't wait to see everyone again next week.”