Video: Exploring Accounting Opportunities at Meet the Firms Event

Each fall, UC Davis Master of Professional Accountancy students put in hours of preparation for Meet the Firms, the program’s largest career networking event and a cornerstone of the MPAc experience.

The 13th annual event brought together recruiters, including many MPAc alumni, from nearly 30 public and corporate accounting firms representing the Big Four, leading regional firms and boutique practices.

The event buzzed with energy as students, fresh from completing the MPAc Career Builder Bootcamp earlier that week, had their polished elevator pitches, practiced networking skills and learned more about opportunities in audit, tax, assurance, accounting information systems, strategy, transactions and consulting. 

At Meet the Firms, students put their new skills into practice and explored career paths. For recruiters, the visit to UC Davis allows them to interview top talent ready to make an immediate impact in the profession.

Watch the video to hear from students, recruiters and alumni at this year's hallmark event. 

Ready to join them? It's Your Turn.

Video Transcript

Spencer Kidder MPAc 23
Assurance Associate
PwC Sacramento

Hi, everyone. My name is Spencer Kidder. I am from the Master of Professional Accountancy, class of 2023, and we're here at the Meet the Firms event that the Graduate School of Management puts on for the students in the MPAc class, focusing on the accounting firms within the area as well as regional firms and the Big Four.

Shelby McNary
University Recruiter Team Lead
KPMG Silicon Valley

We're really excited to be here from KPMG to meet the great students that are here at UC Davis’ MPAc program has such an awesome base of students that come out prepared. Many of our team here are alums from this program. They jump right into the workforce, knowing what they're doing and make such an impact in our firm.

Brian Gouw MPAc 17
Tax Senior Manager
EY Sacramento

I think that it's really important for students to attend events like Meet the Firms, because that's where students are able to meet the professionals at different firms and learn more about what firms have to offer, whether it's audit or tax.

Lindsie Kotcher MPAc 26

I think that the Meet the Firms event is a great way for students like me to just meet different firms, learn about what's out there, see what it is that I want in a career and what I want to put value into for a company.

And I really, really was drawn to the MPAc program because I liked how tight-knit it was. Davis is a really small community. I went to UC Davis as an undergrad; I loved it. I really wanted to have more of a close relationship with my professors and the advisors that I get to work with, and so I think that this program works for me.

Alex Samano MPAc 26

Currently, like many of the other people here, I'm looking to find a company that best suits me, best as a great fit for myself, my future, my career. I'm very happy and excited to look forward to many of the different people who've managed to take the time out today to come talk, present themselves and their corporation. I'm very excited.

Annika Guo MPAc 26

I am primarily excited to talk to more mid-sized firms like CLA or GT, Grant Thornton, and be able to make connections with those firms as well.