Four Accounting Society programs in progress

The Accounting Society student organization has developed four programs, ASOC Scholars, Collegiate Pathway, Career Pathway and Alumni Network, to benefit members who are majoring in finance, accounting or data analytics.

Jimmie Limon, a lecturer in accounting for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship and faculty adviser for the Accounting Society, said the organization was created in Fall 2022 to show students “the versatility of their degrees.”

“We wanted to build a network within the community to take our students to these different organizations, get these walk-throughs, work on projects, see firsthand the operations, so that this way they can visualize a future where they … may put their skill set to work,” Limon said.

Kevin Garza, an accounting senior and president of the society, said the programs were created to focus “from high school to college to career.”

Garza said the programs are being developed and there is no definitive launch date.

He said that the ASOC Scholars program is planned to begin in early Spring 2024 with a focus on high school students, specifically juniors and seniors. Accounting Society members will go to high schools and present information about the student organization and the opportunities that come with accounting, finance and data analytics degrees.

The Collegiate Pathway, which will start this semester, will allow college freshmen and sophomores to be paired up with juniors and seniors to provide guidance and “share wisdom,” Garza said.

Career Pathway is set up to assist seniors who are six months from graduation to attain a job once their college degree is completed.

Garza said that because the Accounting Society, also known as ASOC, is a recent organization, they will not be able to launch this program until Spring 2024.

Seniors are still welcome to join because Garza said that services, such as “polishing up their resume and giving them the tools they need in order to get the position,” will be provided.

Another program that will be launched this semester is the Alumni Network, which will keep track of the ASOC alumni.

Garza said it is important to “maintain those connections” which will be beneficial in connecting UTRGV students and the Accounting Society future leaders.

The Accounting Society has partnered up with the City of Brownsville, McAllen Medical Center, Harlingen Medical Center, Dodici Pizzeria, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and recently, the Port of Brownsville.

The partnerships will allow members to participate in the organizations and get hands-on experience.

Karen Guerra, a marketing senior and vice president of recruitment and marketing for the Accounting Society who joined in Spring 2023, said she has been introduced to the USCIS.

“I’ve been offered a few opportunities as a marketing manager for later on events, such as Sombrero Fest and other stuff, so I find it really eye-opening to be part of the club,” she said.

The Accounting Society also offers biweekly Teacher-Student Workshops for members, which Garza said include financial literacy, how to manage credit, how to read financial statements, how to adjust, analyze and work out budgets and more.

The first official workshop, “Understanding Credit Reporting and How it Affects Employment Prospects and Buying Power” is scheduled from 4 to 5 p.m today in Music, Science & Learning Center Room 3.125 on the Brownsville campus. 

Guerra said to become a member of the Accounting Society, students must have a 3.0 GPA or higher, a background in data analytics, accounting or finance, pay a yearly fee of $25, attend meetings and be active on social media.

Her advice to members is to “be as active as possible” because ASOC tracks their progress and if there is an internship or an organization has an opportunity available, ASOC turns to their most active member.

For more information about the Accounting Society, visit Accounting Society (google.com) or its Facebook and Instagram, @asoc.utrgv.