In Focus
Harpreet S. Multani ‘09
Harpreet earned honors from the finance department at Hofstra with his thesis and graduated with an honors designation from the Honors College. At Hofstra, he was a member of the institute of Legal Studies in Business, College Democrats of Hofstra University, Beta Alpha Psi and Hofstra tax society. He was also a co-founder of Hofstra’s Sikh Student Association. Following his honors graduation, Harpreet is now enrolled in law school at St. Johns and works at KPMG as a tax associate. A versatile young man, Harpreet is also proficient in Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu.
Tell us about your transition from Nassau Community College to Hofstra.
I transferred from NCC to Hofstra University in 2007. I would see the Hofstra campus every time I drove to NCC and I tell myself that I would go there one day. The beautiful campus really drew me in. Once I found out about Hofstra's academic qualities and the academic scholarship they were offering me, my heart was set on attending.
What was your experience like at Hofstra?
Hofstra has been a life changing experience for me; I really mean that. The strength and the passion that Hofstra instilled in me have been so valuable. I would not trade my Hofstra experience for any other school. Professors at Hofstra are really supportive, helpful and knowledgeable; they have the real life experience that is needed to gain that competitive edge. I wanted to learn from knowledgeable individuals who have been successful in the real world and I got that at Hofstra.
My situation was very similar to a lot of the students at Hofstra. We worked full time or part time jobs and pursued our academic passion to ultimately lead us to a successful career. And every step of the way, there was help available from professors, academic counselors and career counselors. Hofstra is full of resources and if used correctly, lead to an amazing and fulfilling experience.
Tell us about your job at KPMG and how you went about getting that position.
Through the help of Hofstra's career services center, I was able to secure an entry level position as an accountant at KPMG, LLP, which is one of the top four accounting firms. The application process was effortless. I applied to an open position at Hofstra's career service center's website and the initial interview was held on campus. The Career Service Center also had many information sessions and events to help the students understand their available career choices and help them get acquainted with the top companies in their field.
I am also a law student at St. John's School of Law. My experience at Hofstra is what gave me the ambition to pursue higher studies and to chase my dreams. I eventually hope to become a lawyer and practice in a field where I can give back to the society and possible even teach law at Hofstra one day.
Tell us about your Honors College experience.
The Honors College classes I took really opened my eyes to many extraordinary things. The classes I took were filled with diverse individuals. It was a real rush and challenge for me to be in classes with my fellow Honors College peers; I loved it. Honors College held many events to strengthen the bond between the student body, but unfortunately between my coursework and a full time job, I was not a major contributor.
How did your experience at Hofstra help prepare you for the future?
I was really happy when Hofstra won the bid to host a presidential debate on campus. I am generally a conservative person and usually keep to myself, but I really wanted to be a part of this. It meant a lot to me and eventually through a rigorous application process I was able to become one of the volunteers. Although I was not able to meet the presidential candidates, after the election I went to our exhibition center (where they debate was held) and I felt empowered standing at a spot where our current president stood. My experience at Hofstra has given me the encouragement to strive for success and that is exactly what I intend to do.
East Meadow, NY
BBA: Double major in Accounting and Finance