I AM THE VSCPA

EYE ON THE FUTURE >> Two minutes with a student member

MARIETTA MEDRANA >>

Pursuing the language of business

Marietta Medrana is a rising senior at Old Dominion University majoring in accounting and finance and will be a summer intern at Dixon Hughes Goodman. She’s no bump on a log: She was treasurer of the Student Government Association, is a past president of Beta Alpha Psi and attended the 2013 VSCPA Leaders’ Institute. She’s also the 2013–2014 recipient of the VSCPA Educational Foundation’s Dixon Hughes Goodman scholarship and the 2014–2015 recipient of the Foundation’s Kearney & Company Scholarship.

I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT… Experiencing different cultures. I’m a first generation Filipino-American and grew up in a bicultural home. I will be studying abroad at a university in Italy this fall and am excited to learn about the European business model while experiencing the culture and eating delicious Italian food! PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THIS, BUT… I spent 10 days kitesurfing in the Dominican Republic. I’ve never played organized sports, much less extreme sports. I fell more times than I want to admit, but it was an exhilarating experience.

MY ADVICE TO FELLOW ASPIRING CPAs IS… Have a mentor. Networking is important and making a strong connection with a mentor can be invaluable. Find someone who you respect and trust. Their knowledge and experience is invaluable. They can help you as a young aspiring CPA and through the different stages of your career.

I NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT… My planner and cell phone. As a college student balancing academics, extracurricular activities and a job, it’s important to be organized. My planner helps me stay on schedule and keep up with my commitments. I WISH STUDENTS KNEW… You don’t have to wait until you graduate to take advantage of opportunities. You can become a student member of the VSCPA and the AICPA. Be involved in an honors organization like Beta Alpha Psi. Joining Beta Alpha Psi was one of the best decisions I’ve made during my college experience. I have made great friends and had great experiences during my term as president, including winning first place in the Best Practices Competition at the 2014 Beta Alpha Psi Regional Meeting in March. There is so much you can learn in addition to the academic curriculum.

I ASPIRE TO BE A CPA BECAUSE… It will allow me to work with a wide range of businesses. As a kid, I loved watching segments on how things are made. It amazed me to see the behind-the-scenes operations. Accounting is called the “language of business.” As a CPA, I’ll have a variety of clients from all different industries. n

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