Economics and Finance, Accounting Majors Network and Explore Career Options at IMA 2022 Student Leadership Conference Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Point Park University students majoring in accounting and economics and finance toured the corporate headquarters of PNC Financial Services Group, networked with industry professionals and attended panels on career development and industry trends as the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) held its 2022 Student Leadership Conference in Downtown Pittsburgh, just a short walk from Point Park's campus.

Students explored one of the city's most distinctive skyscrapers, the Tower at PNC Plaza, while learning about job opportunities and the paths that PNC employees have taken in their careers. Presentations held at the conference's main location, the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh, covered a variety of career and industry topics, such as environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing; financial literacy; forensic accounting; ethics; leveraging LinkedIn; working toward C-suite careers and more.

Hear from students below about their takeaways from the conference and why they recommend Point Park:

"I learned about many managerial accounting positions that I was unaware of and the day-to-day responsibilities that come with them. This experience gave me a unique, first-hand chance to explore the inner workings of businesses and to ask the employees how they personally landed their positions. I enjoy going to school in Downtown Pittsburgh’s diverse and active environment. There are also numerous internship and job opportunities due to the abundance of businesses." – Natalie Diaz-Molina '26, accounting major, York, Pa.

"I enjoyed the PNC tour, especially the part where we got to walk around their offices. It kind of gave me insight into what my future could look like. I learned that if I want to intern at PNC, I need to be a junior and that having previous internship experience is not required. I would recommend Point Park's accounting program because the faculty and staff are kind, and the curriculum is easy to follow." – Terry Craig Jr. '26, accounting major, Penn Hills, Pa.

"As an MBA student, attending the IMA conference allowed me to broaden my professional network in the financial industry. Access to this event truly tells you what types of opportunities Point Park has to offer. We have the chance to network and connect with Fortune 500 companies. Major corporations will find you if you have the talent and substance to bring value to their organization. My favorite part of the conference was networking and hearing about the career journeys of the panelists at PNC." – Edwin De La Rosa '22 '23, accounting alumnus and MBA student, Brooklyn, New York

"We got to network with hiring professionals from the conference and meet with people working in the fields we're pursuing. I enjoyed the job fair they had after the PNC tour, and the panel with PNC employees really helped me to understand what it's like to work in a full-time role like theirs. I would absolutely recommend Point Park to a prospective student. Being connected to the real corporate world while you're in school gives Point Park students a competitive edge over others." – Shivansh Waleacha '23, economics and finance major, New Delhi, India

"I learned that there are a lot of different job opportunities available throughout the finance field, and I don’t have to be stuck to just one type of role. I appreciated the opportunity to hear people speak about their career stories, ask them questions and get honest answers from those who are actually in the field. At Point Park, I like that we have so many connections to things that will get us involved on campus and in our career field." – Matthew Harris '24, economics and finance major, Hermitage, Pa.

More About: Rowland School of Business, economics and finance, Pittsburgh, accounting, Student Accounting Association, PNC, conference, Downtown Pittsburgh