 Today our featured member is our Director of Social and Recruiting Activities, David Mingee. He is an Accounting and Finance double major who happens to also be a professionally trained dog groomer. When he’s not attending school or meetings or organizing some of our awesome events, he can be found outdoors, often with his dog. He loves to hike and kayak. As another commuter student, he understood the value of becoming involved on campus in order to build relationships with individuals that were very similarly goal oriented. Beta Alpha Psi gave him the opportunity to associate with people he considers the kindest he’s met and worked with. The level of immersion into the professional accounting field that BAP furnishes has been invaluable to David. He has been able meet professionals, attend in house functions at the firms, and have one on ones with recruiters at meetings. He encourages others to get involved. Starting to see a trend? As most others are quoted, he too feels that you get out of something what you put in it. “Participate! Go to the events, talk to the guest speakers, and follow up with anyone you talk to. These people want to hire you, all you have to do is let them know you are interested and you will find they are much nicer than you are probably thinking they are.” David, we wish you the very best semester and beyond, and safe travels.
 The Fall 2019 semester is well underway and our 2019-2020 directors and officers are off and running with their new roles. For our first 2019-2020 “Meet our Members” Monday post we are introducing this year’s Zeta Pi Chapter President, Kaitlin DiDomenico (far left). As a self-proclaimed “Extreme Time Management” specialist; she is a double major; Accounting and Business Analytics, our President, as well as a member of both Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi. When she isn’t at a meeting, in class, or working, you can often find her spending her free time trying new spots amidst the wonderful local food scene and keeping sane (and flexible) with Pure Barre and Hot Yoga. As a commuter student, Kaitlin understood the difficulty and the importance of connecting with fellow students. Beta Alpha Psi gave her that needed connection as well as increased her networking skills and confidence and has helped her further develop her leadership abilities. She hopes to earn her PhD in Accounting with an emphasis on tax research, and has already been offered a full-time tax accountant position with a firm upon graduation. When asked what advice she would give a new student, she was quick to respond that getting involved is priority number one: “Do your best to meet new people. And when the speaker says they’re open to taking people out for coffee, lunch, or just having a conversation - TAKE THEM UP ON IT. You are in control of your time at ODU and with BAP, and you can get the job you want most by being active.” Kaitlin, we wish you an amazing final few semesters at ODU, and we look forward to watching you check off your never-ending to-do list.  What is your major and why did you choose this major?
"I am a double major in accounting and business analytics. I chose accounting because I realized all the opportunities available with this degree. It seemed like the possibilities were endless, and I felt confident I could find a job with an accounting degree. I paired my accounting major with business analytics to stay up to date with all the development in data sciences." What are your interests outside of school? "Outside of school, I enjoy playing as much golf as I can. I love going out on a course and enjoying the nice weather. Also, I love following ODU sports with my family because we are all alumni. I am the 10th person in my family to attend ODU! Other interests include visiting new places, trying new foods, and meeting new people." Are you involved in any other organizations besides Beta Alpha Psi? "Outside of Beta Alpha Psi, I serve as an accounting tutor for ODU’s Peer Educator Program. This has been one of my most valuable experiences while in college because it has given me the opportunity to develop some of my soft skills while helping others. It is so rewarding to see you have helped someone in their academic career." What has been your favorite experience as part of Beta Alpha Psi? "My favorite experience with Beta Alpha Psi was serving as the Director of Best Practices last year. My team and I became great friends through the process and we were able to develop an outreach program to local high schools and community colleges to promote the accounting profession. I am certain this project will have an impact on the chapter for years to come." How do you feel Beta Alpha Psi has helped you in your professional career? "Without Beta Alpha Psi, I would not have the soft skills needed to be a well-rounded professional. Beta Alpha Psi has helped me enjoy networking, improve my public speaking skills, and given me several opportunities with internships and scholarships. I will start full-time work with KPMG after graduation and I do not think this would have been possible without Beta Alpha Psi." What advice would you give new members and candidates to make the most of their time in Beta Alpha Psi? "Don’t just join the organization, find a way to get involved as soon as you can and you will get back way more than what you put in, I can guarantee it."  What is your major and why did you decide to join BAP?
"I am double majoring in Accounting and Finance. I joined Beta Alpha Psi in the Fall of 2016 because i was informed that it would be beneficial to join by a previous member, who also happened to be an intern at the same CPA firm as me. After information sessions, i quickly learned that the opportunities that BAP would bring me were not short of amazing." What are your interests outside of school? "Outside of school, I enjoy hanging out with family and close friends. Before attending ODU, I was a collegiate baseball player and really enjoy sports. I still frequently go to the gym to workout and i play intramural sports year round. I also enjoy going on hikes and being outside." Outside of BAP, are you involved in any other organizations or activities? "I am not actively involved with any other organizations at the moment; however, I do play intramural sports such as football, basketball, and soccer." What are your goals for the future? "Short term goals of mine include beginning a career in the public accounting field. As I progress i hope to learn as much as possible and being to formulate my desire of owning my own business. Long term goals include utilizing my financial accounting knowledge to start my own business. I plan to start a sports training facility with focuses on developing young athletes interested in baseball and football." What advice would you give to future candidates and members? "I would advise anybody who is serious about their future career to join BAP. Not only has BAP gotten me internships and a job lined up after school, I have been able to network with a huge amount of people (including other members). I would not change my decision to join BAP for anything"  What are you studying and what made you choose this field?
"I'm an accounting major. I became interested because I wanted a major I knew I could use- one that had a defined career path and lots of opportunities. In addition, I like details and puzzles, so accounting seemed like a good fit." Since joining BAP, what has been your favorite experience? "Within a month of joining BAP, I was able to get an internship with WEC. I'm currently in the middle of the internship and I credit BAP with the opportunity." What goals do you have set for the future, either professional or personal? "My short term goals are to graduate in May, then to study and complete my CPA exam within the following year. Long term, I'm open to seeing where the future leads me, but I'm interested in starting a career in public accounting that I can learn and grow from." Outside of BAP, what are your interests? " Outside of BAP, I spend a lot of time balancing school and my internship. When I have free time, I enjoy anything outdoors, traveling, and hanging out with friends and family." What advice would you give new candidates and members? " The best advice is to attend as many events as you can, even if you feel uncomfortable. As someone who's generally quiet, networking events can be nerve-wracking. The best thing to do is put yourself out there as much as possible, to get the most out of your experience at ODU and with BAP. It's such an advantage and privilege to get to know employers and other professionals is while you're still in school."  What is your major and why did you decide to join BAP?
"My major is accounting. I decided to join BAP for all of the amazing benefits but the main reason was the ability to network and meet so many professionals in the surrounding accounting firms." What has been your favorite experience as part of BAP? "Networking with professionals as well as fellow students who may very well be coworkers in the future." What do you plan to do in your professional career? "I plan to get my CPA license and work in the audit department of a firm locally." Outside of BAP and schoolwork, what do you enjoy doing? "My kids keep me busy but I also enjoy crafting, reading and enjoying the outdoors." What advice would you give to new members and candidates? "I can’t emphasize enough to go to meetings, socials, banquets, dinners... any event you can and network! When you are interviewing for internships you will see familiar faces you know through BAP and it makes it so much easier. Getting involved by becoming an officer or director would only help you even more."  How did you hear about BAP and why did you decide to join?
"I heard about BAP through a recruiting email from Professor O’Shaughnessy via the listserve, then from the class visits from officers. I went to the new candidate social meeting to learn more, since I didn’t really know much about accounting as a profession, and what sort of jobs were in the area. I knew it would be important to network in order to find a job, so I was excited at having a student organization that could facilitate that. Plus, I wanted to get to know like-minded students so I could get to know some more Monarchs. Being a commuter, I didn’t really feel like a part of the student body; this organization became a perfect way to participate." What is your position in BAP and how has it helped you grow professionally? "I am the Treasurer, and the position has actually helped me with my duties as an intern. Part of my treasurer job is to do the bank reconciliations, and that is one of the things accountants do when they audit." What has been your favorite experience as part of BAP? "For favorite experiences, there have been many! I love the things we’ve done for community service, especially helping out at the Southeastern Virginia Foodbank, and ForKids VA. I’ve also really enjoyed the learning opportunities we’ve had at BAP conferences, like at the annual meeting in Anaheim, CA. The people we’ve had a chance to hear from and meet, like the Chair of the AICPA, are so inspiring!" What are some of your interests outside of BAP and school? "Outside of BAP and ODU, I love to hang out with my husband and my two dogs, Hunter and Lottie, work on home and landscaping projects, read, and watch movies. We especially love to go to Cinema Café down in Edinburgh for date night." What advice would you give to new BAP candidates and members? "My advice to any shy candidates and members like me is to just go ahead and take the plunge, even if it feels like it’s outside of your comfort zone and something you might not fit in with. I’m so glad I went ahead and joined, because BAP has been so incredibly rewarding!" What is something interesting about you that other people might not know? "Something interesting others don’t know: My brother and his wife are expecting a baby girl, so when the semester is over, I’ll be flying out to California to spend time getting to know my little niece!"  What is your major and why did you decide to join BAP?
"I am currently pursuing a double-major in Finance and Accounting. I decided to join Beta Alpha Psi to get more involved on-campus. Also, an honors business organization like Beta Alpha Psi really sparked my interest, as I wanted to be involved with a business organization and ultimately prepare myself for a career within the industry." What has been the greatest benefit(s) you've received through BAP? "Beta Alpha Psi has developed myself from being a shy, naive Sophomore into a confident, young business professional. This development is still a work-in-process, but I truly owe it all to Beta Alpha Psi for providing me with a foundation of support and instilling the qualities to succeed in the rapidly changing world of business." When will you be graduating and what are your plans for the future? "I will be graduating in May of 2019, and my plan for the future is to be a Financial Analyst for an Investment Bank in the Greater New York City area." Are you involved in any extracurriculars outside of BAP and ODU? "Besides my involvement with Beta Alpha Psi, I am also a member of the Finance Club, as well as a team-member for Old Dominion’s CFA team, and a team-member for Old Dominion’s Bloomberg trading team." What advice would you give to new members and candidates? "My advice to new members and candidates is to find out what kind of life you want to live early in your college career. College is the time to learn more about yourself and once you find something you’re passionate about, give it your best shot and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Most importantly, stay proactive with your goals and stay positive. Life can be a truly humbling experience. A wise man once said, “Anything worth having, doesn’t come easy.”"  What is your major and why did you decide to join BAP?
"I am pursuing an M.S. in Accounting. I joined BAP back in Fall 2015 to develop the necessary soft skills to grow my network. I also wanted to surround myself with the brightest individuals within the University and among professionals." What events or people influenced you to run for chapter president? "To list things off, I was influenced by my experiences with Best Practices, Project Run with It, and various BAP conferences. However, I was influenced the most by my involvement in our chapter’s Gold Challenge video submission. Being behind the camera, I got to see first-hand all of our major accomplishments under former chapter president Cass Chopek. She’s been a great role model for me, and I wanted to lead our members to success as she did." What do you plan to do in your professional career? "After graduation, I plan to work in public accounting and complete the CPA certification. I hope to eventually go back to school and earn an MBA. LONG-term goal is to be either the managing partner at a public accounting firm or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company." Outside of BAP and schoolwork, what do you enjoy doing? "On weekends, I work with children on the Autism spectrum. I’ve worked with the same group of kids for almost 4 years, and they are practically family to me. During my free time, I also enjoy cruising around the neighborhood on my OneWheel, working on my truck and planning for upcoming project cars, traveling the globe and experiencing new adventures, and catching up on Netflix shows with my dogs." What advice would you give to new members and candidates? "Something I always tell our members and candidates is that what you get out of BAP depends on what you put in. Don’t hesitate to volunteer and put yourself out there. People higher up on the totem pole notice active involvement and will reach out to you with greater opportunities. If you feel that you don’t see any opportunities to be more involved, reach out to an officer or director. Taking the initiative is always noticed and keeps that person in mind for bigger and better things." |
