Annual Meet The Firm event creates networking opportunities for students, alumni

On Aug. 28, the Lipscomb University College of Business hosted an in-house event for accounting and finance majors to meet employers and industry professionals.

Cate Zenzen | 09/05/2019

The Lipscomb University College of Business recognizes the importance of professional development and networking for its students. The annual Meet the Firm event was the first of several in-house events the college will host throughout the school year to provide these opportunities for students. 

With 40 employers and two professional organizations represented, 81 students in undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs benefited from an evening of learning and conversation with professionals. 

Traditionally an event hosted specifically for accounting majors, finance students were invited this year as well. Many accounting firms attend the event to recruit both accounting and finance students, and with the recent addition of the state-of-the-art Bloomberg Lab, the department has expanded. 

Associate Dean for Professional Development and Engagement Suzanne Sager said students attended the event for a number of reasons. For younger students, she said it was the perfect opportunity to update their resume, head-shot and elevator speech. Students were encouraged to research each company beforehand so as to create meaningful conversations with firm representatives.
 

“These students may not be ready to apply for an internship, but conversing with professionals is great preparation for when they are applicants,” said Sager. “With every single event like this that someone does they just become more and more confident and comfortable.”

For those who were actively job-seeking, this event was a unique opportunity for networking with so many potential employers under one roof. All accounting and finance majors are required to have at least one internship, and many have several before graduation, according to Sager. 

“Experience in the field is crucial as full-time employment almost always results from an internship,” said Sager. “Event such as this are efficient ways to match students with future employers, coworkers or clients.”

The annual Meet the Firm event is just as rewarding for employers and recruiters, according to Perry Moore, director of accounting in the Pfeffer Graduate School of Business. Moore said the firms specifically choose young employees and Lipscomb alumni to be representatives at the event. As a result, alums enjoy coming back to mentor current students and to catch up with former classmates. 

“The event gives the alumni the ability to give back, to mentor and guide the students still here, whether to offer them a job or not,” said Moore. “When you start working, you have the ability to influence those who are still here.” 

Lipscomb’s College of Business is one of the fastest growing in the university, and has been recognized nationally as a leader in business education. The college has been named the No. 1 Undergraduate Business Program in Tennessee for three consecutive years by both Bloomberg Business Week and Poets & Quants and the No. 2 part-time MBA program in Tennessee in 2016 by Bloomberg Business Week. In addition, it was named the No. 1 accounting program in Tennessee and No. 2 in the nation in 2017 by Christian Universities Online. In 2018, College Factual ranked Lipscomb’s accounting program the number one accounting program in Tennessee for the second consecutive year and one of the top 50 programs in the nation. The department of accounting also earned a ranking of 12th in the nation and number one in the state of Tennessee for the second consecutive year for Best Accounting Programs for Veterans.

Learn more about Lipscomb’s College of Business.

— Photos by Lauren Scott