From Ghana to Gwynedd-Mercy College:
A Tale of Philip Amoa
After an accomplished four years at Gwynedd-Mercy College, the well-traveled Amoa brothers have transferred their devoted work ethic into the “real world.” Worldly knowledge coupled with their experience at the College, has equaled success in each one’s respective field. Reginald—or Reggie— is a financial analyst at KPMG and Philip is an attorney with the firm McCarter & English. Prior to undergraduate studies at Gwynedd-Mercy College, the Amoas also spent part of their younger years in Ghana, Germany, Kenya and the United Kingdom. Their father travelled internationally for business, working as a consultant. A wide-ranging and diverse family also contributed to spending time on three continents.
What exactly brought you to Gwynedd-Mercy College? Philip (’07): Well, I decided to come to Gwynedd-Mercy College primarily because my brother made a good case why it was a great college. I visited the College and really liked its small size and everyone was so friendly. We had a cousin who also was a student at GMC, so it made the choice easy. Reggie (’06): My aunt and cousin were students at the College and told me about it. At the time, I was considering a few other places, including Arcadia University, but once I visited the campus and met the professors, the decision was simple.
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Were there any specific teachers that had a direct impact on your careers?
Reggie Amoa
What were your individual experiences like at GMC? Philip: I had many great experiences at GMC. I think the College really allowed me to realize my full potential as a student. The classes were challenging and the personal attention we got from our professors was very beneficial. It allowed me to really hone in on the important lessons of the class. Reggie: Too many to recall—many terrific experiences and courses. I particularly remember Chris Cusatis’ accounting courses, my finance courses with Dr. [Michael] Shaffer, and some philosophy classes. Summers on campus were also interesting—a bunch of us would get jobs on campus and just hang out.
Philip: For me, I’ll say Dr. Mike Shaffer and Steven Mumford were two of the teachers that had the most impact. Reggie: Dean Trotter, Dr. Shaffer, and Chris Cusatis.
Talk about the specifics of your post-Gwynedd-Mercy College education. Where did you continue studying? Philip: After graduating from GMC, I worked for Merck & Co., Inc. in West Point, Pa. and then went to law school at the University of Illinois College of Law. Reggie: I went for my MBA at the Smeal College of Business at Penn State, University Park.
What are your exact professional titles?
Was there any specific coursework you remember or significant accomplishments during your time?
Philip: I am an attorney with the firm of McCarter & English. I work in the corporate and bankruptcy groups in both our Philadelphia and Wilmington offices.
Philip (Speaking for both): Reggie and I both graduated with a 3.99 GPA and won the Presidential Scholar Award. We were co-founders of the Gwynedd-Mercy College Business Club.
Reggie: I work with KPMG as an associate in Economic and Valuation Services – it’s a financial analyst role that helps companies fulfill financial reporting requirements following mergers or acquisitions.