09/09/2026
From industry insight to CPA exam prep, last week’s inaugural Accounting Kickoff Event gave students a full picture of what it takes to navigate today’s accounting recruitment environment.
Christie L. Comunale, Ph.D., CPA and Keval Amin opened the afternoon, setting the tone for a lineup that brought together alumni, current students, and industry partners. College of Business alumni Kiegh G. Dudley, MBA and Steven Miata, CPA, MS offered a candid look at how the profession is evolving and what employers are looking for in candidates. A current student and alumni panel featuring Bernick Cyriaque, Thanvika Palukuri, Joanna Pettit, CPA, Ting Zheng, and Lloyd Ippolito, CPA, MBA, CTC followed with firsthand advice on navigating recruitment. Michael Gaudio and Kimberly Dixon of the Stony Brook University Career Center added practical guidance on timelines, résumés, interviews, and networking, and Jeffrey Sampson, MSEd of Becker Accounting and Su Zhou, CPA, EA of UWorld Accounting spoke to CPA exam planning and preparation.
The event closed with roundtables where students connected directly with accounting industry partners, the Career Center, alumni and graduate students, Beta Alpha Psi and NABA, accounting faculty, and CPA exam prep providers Becker and UWorld — covering everything from internships and leadership programs to CPA exam planning and academic support.
Students left with a clearer picture of the current accounting landscape, practical recruitment advice, and new connections across the Stony Brook accounting community.
This event is part of a series of events preparing students for the competitive accounting recruitment landscape. Next up is the Accounting Job and Internship Fair on September 16!
