Student Profiles

Kathryn Gilbert ’13

Mechanicsburg, Pa. | Cumberland Valley H. S.
Major: Accounting

Clubs/Activities: Alpha Lambda Delta first-year honor society, Varsity Softball

Post-Graduation Plans: Become a CPA.

Favorite class: One of my favorite classes so far was Business Statistics with Professor Wilkerson. Math has always been my favorite subject, but Professor Wilkerson brought the class to life with his humor and personality. He made learning about statistics fun, and I always looked forward to going to class.

The most exciting thing about studying accounting and information systems at Susquehanna: Opportunities! Accounting is a field that offers many opportunities because it is a career that is always in demand. Studying accounting at a smaller school like Susquehanna has definitely provided me with internship possibilities that I wouldn’t have at a bigger school. Over winter break, I had an internship at a local accounting firm. This was beneficial in several ways, as I was able to apply information I had learned in my accounting classes to real life situations. I learned how to perform bank reconciliations using actual bank statements, do payrolls, and create spreadsheets—all of which helped me to realize that accounting is the right career for me. As a result, I have been offered a full-time internship for the summer which will continue to provide me with work experience in the accounting field.

Justine Stanton ’13

Mechanicsburg, Pa. | Trinity H. S.
Major: Accounting

Clubs/Activities: SIFE, Business Statistics tutor, Office of Admissions student assistant

Post-Graduation Plans: Living in the Harrisburg area and working in an accounting firm.

The most exciting thing about studying accounting and information systems at Susquehanna: The accounting and information systems program at Susquehanna is exciting for so many reasons. There are a lot of classes to choose from with professors who care about their students and what they learn. My professors are so helpful, and they engage the students in the classroom. Also, the department is very supportive when it comes to internships. As underclassmen, we have multiple opportunities to complete internships with big-name firms.

Internship experience: I completed an internship with Brown Schultz Sheridan & Fritz in Camp Hill, Pa. This experience was beneficial to me because it reinforced the material I’ve learned in the classroom. I got an opportunity that would not be possible at most universities. The hands-on experience will help me in my job search in a few years.

Cameron Dougherty ’14

Voorhees, N.J. | Eastern Regional High School

Major: Accounting

Minors: Information Systems

Clubs/Activities: Honors Program, Accounting Club vice president, Student Activities Committee special events chair, SIFE project leader, SU Ice Hockey Team, Global Business Perspectives coach, Alpha Lambda Delta first-year honor society, Presidential Fellow, LeaderShape, Becker Professional Education Campus Ambassador

Post-Graduation plans: Become a CPA and work as an auditor for a public accounting firm

Favorite class:  My favorite class so far has been my Financial Accounting class. This class provided my first experience with accounting and it fully confirmed my desire to work in the field. The class was extremely informational and I had a great professor in Mrs. Barbara Martin.

Meaningful faculty connection: I have made my most meaningful connection with Dr. James Pomykalski.  Dr. Pomykalski is currently the director of the Honors Program, as well as a member of the information systems faculty.  During my two years here, I have been lucky enough to work with him in both contexts.  My Thought class, the first course in the Honors Program, and my Database Systems Analysis and Design class were both taught by Dr. Pomykalski.  He is a fantastic professor and a wonderful, interesting man to converse with.  I’m honored to have had the opportunity to connect with him and I look forward to staying in touch with him for years to come. 

Biggest academic challenge: The toughest academic challenge that I have faced is trying to keep up with class in addition to all of my extracurricular activities has been a challenge.  It tends to become a balancing act when you take on as much as I have.  Many times, settling for lower grades is an easy solution.  It’s important for me, however, to remain motivated and driven by success in order to keep up with your classes and your work outside the classroom.

Rebecca Zamiskie ’14

West Caldwell, N.J. | James Caldwell High School

Majors: Business - Accounting

Clubs/Activities: WQSU radio host, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, SU Serve, Intramural Soccer & Basketball

Post-Graduation plans: Take CPA exam and travel around Europe

Favorite class: Legal Environment because it is interesting to see how legal terms affect business practices. Also, my professor is an attorney, so I enjoy learning about real-life situations. He is very informative in teaching us how these course scenarios relate to the business world.

Meaningful faculty connection: Mrs. Martin, who is my adviser and Financial Accounting instructor. She has greatly helped me with selecting my courses and also planning my cross-cultural experience in Barcelona, which I completed in the Fall 2011 semester. Since she is also my teacher, she has encouraged me to pursue accounting. I know I can talk to her about anything and I value our relationship.