Bentley University, Class of 2016
MSCPA Student Ambassador
1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Where you grew up? Attended school?
My name is Kevin Wong. I was born and raised in Malden, MA, right outside of the city. Before coming to Bentley, I went to Malden Catholic High School, where I graduated in 2012. Currently, I am an undergraduate junior at Bentley University and plan to graduate in May 2016 with my Bachelors of Science in Accounting with a minor in Mathematical Sciences.
2. What influenced you to study accounting?
After I decided I wanted to go to a business school and did some research on potential majors, I realized that accounting is the language of business. It gives you a highly-respected background coming out of undergraduate school with several job opportunities in a growing industry.
3. Why does Bentley have such a strong reputation for producing accountants?
Since Bentley was founded in 1917, they have built their academic curriculum based off of their accounting program. Bentley has always been known for molding some of the best accountants in the industry and will continue to do so moving forward. I also have to give credit to our Career Services for always setting up information sessions and events between the students and the Big 4 and other great firms. Networking opportunities is a crucial reason I believe why Bentley alumni go on to have successful careers.
4. Have you participated in any internships, and if so, how many and how were they?
My first internship was last summer as an audit intern at Safety Insurance in Boston. Some of my duties consisted of preparing formal audit work papers, testing the company’s internal controls, and reviewing SOX key controls. It was a valuable work experience as I gained technical and interpersonal skills along with hands-on exposure in accounting. In summer 2015, I will be interning at Deloitte’s Advisory practice.
5. Are you excited for you Summer Internship at Deloitte?
Absolutely. Since I chose to major in Accounting, my ultimate goal was to land a full-time offer at a Big 4 firm and it is great to see that all my hard work has paid off. I am thrilled for this opportunity and I plan to make the most out of it.
6. How has it been serving as the MSCPA Student Ambassador for Bentley?
It has been a great experience so far serving as the Ambassador for Bentley. I have had the opportunity to help out with Chris and Barbara at several events and kept in touch with him throughout the semester. They have been very resourceful when I reached out to them and I look forward to having another great semester with them.
7. Are you involved in any volunteer activities and what do they mean to you?
I am involved in Bentley Service Learning, where each student must complete 120 volunteer hours before graduation. Last semester, I was assigned a project where I visited a retirement home with my group every week. We met with residents, interviewed them about their lives and submitted a biography at the end of the semester. Volunteering has always kept me humble and to appreciate what I have.
8. Who would you say your hero is?
I would say my heroes are my parents. They have always set a great example and have been mentors to me my entire life. Both of my parents came from China a couple years before I was born in order to give their children better opportunities at life. They are the reason behind who I am today and I can’t thank them enough.
9. What are your future goals and career plans?
After I graduate, I plan to do some traveling around the world and have the best summer I can have before I start my career. When I get back, I will pursue my certifications (CPA, CISA, CFE etc.) right away while working full-time. After a few years of working, I plan to apply for a prestigious MBA program such as Harvard.
10. Outside of accounting what could we find you up to?
I enjoy staying active and photography. Whether it is going for a hike, playing a sport, or going to the gym, I like to keep my body in shape. As for photography, I plan to pursue my first portrait book by taking the best 25 photos I take of Boston and compiling them into one collection. Eventually, I would like to travel the world and take pictures of everywhere I go.
11. What advice would you give to those who consider studying accounting?
I would say to do some research on the industry and make sure it is their passion along with talking to people they know that are either currently studying or graduated with an accounting degree. Just like any other subject, accounting is not for everyone. Yes, it is a solid career path with high demand in jobs but at the end of the day, anyone should be happy to wake up to go to work every morning.
12. Any parting advice for future accountants?
I would tell any prospective accountant to work hard, practice interpersonal skills, network, and never miss out on any opportunities. Those are all very important to having a great career in accounting and recruiters are always excited to see students that are motivated and want to become part of their firm.
On The CPA Track 