High school students engage with their futures through campus visit
The Fisher School of Accounting partnered with Ponte Vedra High School to give students a look at life as a future accountant.
In November, students from Ponte Vedra High School’s Academy of International Business and Marketing visited the Fisher School of Accounting at the University of Florida Warrington College of Business.
With a field trip already planned to visit Warrington’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, an accounting teacher at Ponte Vedra High School corresponded with Gary McGill, director of the Fisher School of Accounting, to arrange an introduction to collegiate and professional accounting.
The students’ visit kicked off with presentations by Lisa Hinson, Ivy Munoko, Michael Ricci and Dan Rimkus from the Fisher School of Accounting, in which the faculty discussed:
- the benefits of studying accounting and indicators that it may be a good fit
- misconceptions of accounting, including the impacts of artificial intelligence
- a timeline overview of the accounting major
- earning a CPA license
- career opportunities in accounting and related fields
After gaining insight into what a major and career in accounting looks like, the high school students participated in a Q&A session with current accounting majors Brianna Alvarez, Jathan Barr, Max Beyers, Samira Gage and James Walter, who answered questions including, “Did you know in high school that you wanted to be an accounting major? If so, why? If not, how did you end up choosing this major?” and “How did your experience of securing an internship or job offer compare to your friends pursuing other majors?”
Swag prizes, such as sweaters from the Beta Alpha Psi accounting club, were awarded for asking questions and worn during the following event: a scavenger hunt around the Warrington College of Business.
Business Gators from the Q&A panel, along with Victoria Cannata, Noah Golden, Toni-Anne Lue, Heinz Luedeking and Ana Vanegas, led teams of high school students to different locations around campus, where they were able to answer questions like, “In the Heavener Commons, what is the only stock displayed on the LED stock ticker that begins with the letter ‘D’?” Related questions could be answered through a quick search on the students’ mobile devices, such as, “Using your answer to the previous question, what was the highest price this stock traded at over the last 52 weeks?”
The event concluded with lunch in Gerson Hall, rounding out the students’ taste of what it’s like to be an accounting major on campus.
“We hope that this visit inspired the high school students to consider accounting as a viable and attractive major to pursue in college,” said Cindy Dosch, a lecturer at the Fisher School of Accounting. “By giving them a glimpse into college-level accounting and the career opportunities it offers, we aim to spark their curiosity and help them see accounting as a dynamic field where they can make a meaningful impact.”
Partnering with Ponte Vedra High School and other schools, through field trips or programs like the Gator Business Leaders of Tomorrow Academy, gives high school students the opportunity to engage with their future and gives Warrington the equally-exciting opportunity to inspire the next generation of professional accountants.
“This relationship reflects our commitment to fostering interest in accounting by bridging the gap between high school and higher education,” Dosch continued. “Hosting events like this helps students envision the opportunities that studying accounting in college can offer and highlights its potential as a dynamic and rewarding career path. We see these outreach efforts as vital to inspiring the next generation of accounting professionals and are eager to continue partnering with high schools to spark curiosity and guide students toward a future in accounting.”
