Alumni Profiles
Meet a few of our alumni!
Accounting Graduate Successes
Kirsten Pope, CPA, Class of 2009
- Major: Accounting, Business
- Current Job: Hospital Compliance Officer, Director of Internal Audit
“I felt that the program translated very well toward tangible job skills that are truly appreciated and rewarded with great job opportunities. Advanced Accounting was exciting because we were building on a lot of the fundamentals from previous course work and the concepts were really coming together.
I enjoyed making the acquaintance of Drs. Lusk, Gaber, Khandiel, Mr. Kaiser and Mr. Steria. Mr. Kaiser has his work cut out for him conveying copious complex subject matter to a diverse student population. I felt he did an excellent job driving home the material very succinctly.
I participated in KPMG’s audit/accounting internship program. A few weeks were spent training with about 1,500 interns from all over the country, many from Ivy League schools. I felt well prepared by the accounting program at SUNY Plattsburgh to compete with these peers in the job market. Our community is so fortunate to have SUNY Plattsburgh with its top notch programs that are affordable and rivaling the caliber of the private school programs.”
Brad Smith, Class of 2009
- Majors: Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business
- Current Job: Research Analyst
“There were various classes across my majors that were challenging yet provided the opportunity to engage in interesting topics. Dr. Gaber, Greg Gregoriou, Robert Christopherson, and Ed Lusk are my most memorable professors.
Although I had only taken one class with Dr. Gaber, he was also my advisor so, getting to know him on a personal level allowed me to understand the special qualities he possesses. These qualities not only aid him in being an effective and likeable professor, but also a close friend, one whose friendship will continue well beyond college, as it has in my case.
Robert Christopherson has an extremely good grasp on economics and finance in general. His classes were challenging, but he knew how to teach difficult topics in a way that was easy to understand. He was always willing to provide additional help outside of the classroom for students that struggled with certain concepts.
Professor Gregoriou is your guy when it comes to financial markets. Having worked in the alternative investment space (hedge funds), he can give unique insight on markets and portfolio management. Once introduced to alternative markets, it has always been an interest of mine which I continue to explore today. Gregoriou will help those that show interest and willingness to learn, and I think his guidance has contributed to my early career success.
Last but not least, Ed Lusk is not only a professor, but an entertainer. I only had early morning classes with him, but he made them bearable. His humor is unparalleled and he challenges your wittiness. One classroom aspect I loved was that he encouraged creative solutions to problems or conflicts of interest. This took you out of your left-brained, analytical mind set and forced you to think outside the box, a valuable quality that is highly regarded in business and in life. I remain close friends with all of them to this day.
It was a great experience that I have no regrets about."
Patrick Thompson, Class of 2010
- Major: Accounting, Business
- Current Job: New York State Tax Auditor
“One of the most exciting classes I took at SUNY Plattsburgh was international accounting because it was about the convergence of GAAP with IFRS which was and still is a relevant current event that was tested on the CPA exam.
There are so many good professors who are all good in their own way. Dr. Gaber is very friendly, encouraging, and supportive. He introduced me to international accounting in an interesting comprehensive class. He was my guidance counselor and has been very influential to me as he encouraged me to stick with my chosen field, which I am very glad he did. SUNY Plattsburgh is full of supportive, helpful and friendly staff that helped me prepare me for the CPA exam and the real life world of accounting. The free tutoring sessions they offer are very valuable and provide a huge leg up with certain classes.
What I liked about SUNY Plattsburgh is it is in a quaint, historic, yet lively town full of happy students, opportunity, closeness to Vermont and Canada, helpful professors, and a wide range of dramatic beautiful weather that make it a fun and productive place to pursue a degree and experience the college life.”
Kristen Carmichael, Class of 2012
- Major: Accounting, Business Administration
- Current Job: Staff Accountant at McSoley McCoy
The class that steered me to my current job interest was auditing. I liked the challenge of the course work and material. I thought it was interesting and wanted to learn more.
Of my professors, I think Ed Lusk was my favorite because he challenged me. He has real-life experience to relate to class. It gave me the chance to see how what we were learning could be used in a career. I use material I learned in Ed’s classes every single day at my job.
Knowing my professors on a personal level, small class sizes, team approach of the faculty & staff and the opportunity of the Clarkson Graduate program was what I liked most about the program. The best things about it are (1) the amazing job that Dr. Gaber and the faculty do at recruiting quality businesses for the career fair, mentorship program and other events (2) preparing business students for life beyond college and (3) the alumni network. I felt so prepared for starting my career by the time I graduated.
In group projects, I got to know students on a deeper level and am still friends with several. We all approach a problem differently. It was beneficial to see other perspectives. It is true that you will work with people you may not get along with. It is bound to happen during your career. Learning how to work as a team early is worth it. Don’t come across as immature early in your career because you haven’t figured out how to successfully work in a team!
One of the partners at my firm recently told me how he and partners from another accounting firm were impressed with the quality accounting students that SUNY Plattsburgh was developing. We work hard and are well-prepared for the real world and our careers. SUNY Plattsburgh is exceptional.