MEMBERSHIP PACKET
SPRING 2016
University of Southern California
MISSION STATEMENT_______________________________________
Accounting Society is a professional student organization within the University of Southern
California’s Leventhal School of Accounting, comprised of students who are interested in a
career in the accounting field. Our purpose is to provide an opportunity for you to become
more familiar with and involved in the accounting world. At USC, Accounting Society
enjoys a unique advantage resulting from the special relationship the School of Accounting
has with the accounting profession.
Accounting Society provides many opportunities for students to meet knowledgeable and
enthusiastic accounting professionals from top CPA firms, as well as professionals working
in the private industry. Accounting Society also provides an opportunity for students to
interact with other students interested in accounting. As a result, membership provides an
excellent opportunity for career planning by enhancing students’ scope and exposure to the
industry. Membership in Accounting Society has a wide range of benefits, which include:
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AS Mentorship Program (ASMP) – ASMP gives you an opportunity to develop an
ongoing relationship with an accounting professional. Each member is paired with a
mentor that is currently working in the accounting field. Events include a mock
interview and a kick-off dinner. You must apply to be a part of this program;
participation is limited and requires a commitment of one semester. For questions
regarding the AS Mentoring Program, please contact your Mentorship Coordinator,
Alison Zhang (ASMentorCoordinatorUSC@gmail.com).
Weekly Meetings – Each Wednesday at 6:30pm*, a guest speaker from a public
accounting or private industry firm will speak on a relevant topic relating to
accounting issues, the recruiting process, interviewing skills, networking, or career
opportunities with their company. Dinner will be provided for all members following
each meeting. If you have any suggestions for lunch/dinner, please contact your
Director of Internal Affairs, Eric Tien, at
(ASDirectorInternalAffairsUSC@gmail.com).
*The first four meetings with the Big Four will take place on Wednesdays, at
12:00 noon.
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Meet the Firms – Meet the Firms is a reception that provides you with an
opportunity to meet and directly interact with representatives from the accounting
field such as: firm recruiters, staff members, managers, and partners from various
CPA firms.
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Firm Tours & Socials – Throughout the semester, CPA firms located in the Los
Angeles and Orange County areas sponsor tours of their offices and social events.
You will have the opportunity to speak with professionals at different levels, allowing
familiarization with the firm’s auditing, tax, and management consulting departments.
Questions regarding firm events can be directed to your Vice President of Activities,
Suki Kwan (ASVPActivitiesUSC@gmail.com).
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AS Sponsored Events – These events provide an opportunity to meet other
Accounting Society members and interact with them in a setting outside of the
classroom. Some of the events AS has sponsored in recent semesters include
basketball tournaments, BBQ, pizza social, and our traditional semester-end Wrapup Dinners.
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Development Workshops and Mock Interviews – Throughout the semester, AS
officers will present interactive workshops to help answer commonly asked questions,
such as: “What should I say to a recruiter? What should I wear to a firm event? How
do I sign-up for interviews?” Participation in these workshops will help you learn
business etiquette and networking skills while also getting to know your fellow AS
members. The mock interviews will give you a chance to practice interviewing
techniques to prepare for your actual interviews.
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Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) – Each spring, AS members assist in
the preparation of tax returns for low-income families in the Los Angeles community.
Note: All Firm tours, Meet the Firms, and mock interviews require professional business
attire. The dress code for Firm sponsored socials and AS sponsored events will vary
depending on the nature of the activity. Questions concerning appropriate attire can be
directed to your Director of Public Relations, Bowen Sha
(ASDirectorPublicRelationsUSC@gmail.com).
PLEDGE MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
A Pledge Member is either a new member of Accounting Society, or a previous member that
did not fulfill the Active Membership requirements. Each Pledge Member must attend the
following:
For promotion to Active status:
Mandatory events:
8 weekly meetings
Meet the Firms
AS Officer Elections
Wrap-up Dinner
Business events (choose 1):
Mentor Program
Mock Interviews
CPA Firm Presentations
Excel Workshop
Any firm social/office tour
And more that will be announced
Social events (choose 1):
BBQ Party
Hiking
Bowling Night With Alumni
Movie Night
Community Service events (choose 1):
Marshall Community Service Day
Animal Rescue
Tree Planting
ALTERNATIVE MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
Pledge Members who are not able to attend the weekly meetings due to class or work
conflict must attend 2 additional events.
*Please see Beth Zhang, Vice President of Membership (AS.membership@gmail.com), if
you have any questions.
ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
An Active Member is a member of Accounting Society that fulfilled the pledge membership
requirements of the previous semester. In order to maintain an active status, Active
Members must continue to meet the requirements of Active membership. Failure to meet
the requirements will result in the loss of Active status. In order to achieve Senior Member
status, Active Members must meet the appropriate requirements. Each Active Member
must attend the following:
For promotion to Senior status:
Mandatory events:
7 weekly meetings
Meet the Firms
AS Officer Elections
Wrap-up Dinner
Business events (choose 1):
Mentor Program
Mock Interviews
CPA Firm Presentations
Excel Workshop
Any firm social/office tour
And more that will be announced
Social events (choose 2):
BBQ Party
Hiking
Bowling Night With Alumni
Movie Night
Community Service events (choose 1):
Marshall Community Service Day
Animal Rescue
Tree Planting
To maintain Active status:
Mandatory events:
7 weekly meetings
Meet the Firms
AS Officer Elections
Wrap-up Dinner
Business events (choose 1):
Mentor Program
Mock Interviews
CPA Firm Presentations
Excel Workshop
Any firm social/office tour
And more that will be announced
Social events (choose 1):
BBQ Party
Hiking
Bowling Night With Alumni
Movie Night
Community Service events (choose 1):
Marshall Community Service Day
Animal Rescue
Tree Planting
ALTERNATIVE MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
Active Members who are not able to attend the weekly meetings due to class or work
conflict must attend 2 additional events.
*Please see Beth Zhang, Vice President of Membership (AS.membership@gmail.com), if
you have any questions.
SENIOR MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
The officers of the Accounting Society have developed a new status level honoring members
who have truly partaken in the activities of the organization. A Senior Member is the highest
level in the Accounting Society and entails a new set of requirements to maintain this status.
Senior members will receive the highest recognition as a member and will be awarded the AS
sash at graduation. In order to maintain Senior status, Senior Members must continue to
meet the requirements of Senior Membership. Failure to meet the requirements will result in
the loss of Senior status.
To maintain Senior Status:
Mandatory events:
5 weekly meetings
AS Officer Elections
Wrap-up Dinner
Business events (optional):
Mentor Program
Mock Interviews
CPA Firm Presentations
Excel Workshop
Any firm social/office tour
And more that will be announced
Social events (choose 1):
BBQ Party
Hiking
Bowling Night With Alumni
Movie Night
Community Service events (choose 1):
Marshall Community Service Day
Animal Rescue
Tree Planting
ALTERNATIVE MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
Senior Members who are not able to attend the weekly meetings due to class or work
conflict must attend 2 additional events.
*Please see Beth Zhang, Vice President of Membership (AS.membership@gmail.com), if
you have any questions.
SIGN-UP FOR FIRM EVENTS
BUSINESS EVENTS AND FIRM SOCIALS
Sign-up lists will be emailed approximately one week before the event. Once the final lists
are posted, members are able to cancel only by contacting Suki Kwan (Vice President of
Activities) three days in advance in writing. If there are additional spaces available for an
event, you may sign up any time before the sign-up deadline for that event. Updated weekly
lists will be posted and passed out for upcoming events.
POLICY ON ABSENTEEISM
In order to maintain the image of a responsible student body, it is imperative that
Accounting Society members accept their responsibilities. Much time, effort, and money go
into preparing for firm-sponsored tours, socials, and other events. If you are signed up for
an event, you are required to attend. Please keep in mind that your actions reflect not
only yourselves, but on Accounting Society and the University of Southern California as well.
In addition, realize that attendance to firm events is indicative to recruiters of attendance in
the work force. Members who fail to attend events that they are scheduled to attend will
form a negative image in the minds of the firms and the recruiters.
If you are unable to attend a firm-sponsored event, which you have signed up for,
you must contact Suki Kwan (Vice President of Activities) at least three days before
the event.
If you fail to comply you must do the following:
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Write an apology letter to the firm no later than one week after the event, explaining
the reason why you were unable to attend the event. All apology letters must be
approved by Suki Kwan (Vice President of Activities). You will also lose priority
for all of the events for the rest of the semester.
The first time you fail to write an apology letter, in addition to losing priority to all
the events, you will be unable to attend the next firm event.
The second time you fail to write an apology letter, you will not be permitted to
attend any future events. In addition, Senior members will be dropped to Active, and
Active members will be dropped to Pledge Member status the following semester.
We must implement a strict policy since there is limited attendance at firm events. Please
help us to uphold the professional image of Accounting Society, since we all stand to benefit
by doing so. Thank you and have a great semester!
*For
more information please visit us at http://scf.usc.edu/~acctsoc (Or simply Google ‘USC Accounting
Society)