SAUDIA THOMAS
Senior, Accounting Major

Why did you chose Hofstra?

In choosing Hofstra I considered a lot of things, mainly the proximity to the city. I knew that I wanted to work in the business industry and New York City is prime for all business operations. Additionally, Hofstra has a great Business School and I knew that's where I wanted to be.

What are some of your future career goals?

Some of my goals for the near future are to finish undergrad here, pursue my graduate studies and then become a certified public accountant.

How has Hofstra prepared you for the future?

Hofstra has prepared me in so many ways, academically, professionally and even socially. It has allowed me to be more receptive to different cultures and helped me to see what it's like to be in a professional setting. Being here has made me more disciplined. It's also provide me with great networks.

What do you do with the Hofstra Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants?

I began documenting their events. Then I became the chapter vice president, overseeing the event operations for the programs they coordinated. This year I am the president so I oversee almost everything.

Through my affiliation with NABA I have attended several conferences and events. It's helped me to develop professionally and the newtorking has been great as well.

How was your internship experience?

I interned with Cargill, Inc. for three months and had so much fun!!! It was a cultural adjustment as people in Minnetonka, Minnesota have different interest than your typical New Yorker, but that only made me learn so much more about life outside of the east coast. It was definitely an experience that has changed me and given me a different preservative about my career options.

I worked in the Global Procurement department where the main focus was finding strategies to save the company money. There were so many projects that I was put on including small audits, management of contract databases and files, and helping complete a diagnostics for our services division.

My favorite part was that my fellow intern and I were treated like first year employees. We got to fly to different plant locations around the United States, participate in weekly staff meetings, and participate in global conference calls with employees from Europe, South America, Singapore, etc. We also were able to participate in some of the companies community service activities and give presentations.

What is your best memory of the Zarb School of Business?

The professors treat you as if you are in the real world so it's not just homework assignments and exams. It's more about focusing on your academics and how your interact with the other students and the faculty so you know how to conduct yourself when you get into the real world.

What is your edge?

My edge is my network. Hofstra has given me a plethora of networks. Working in the career center has helped me get in contact with people. My student organization, NABA, has helped me build by network and the Zarb School of business has helped me as well.