University Advancement

Public Relations and Strategic Communications

NEWS RELEASE

Northridge Accounting Students Win at Regional Meet

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., April 20, 2007) — Two teams from Cal State Northridge’s chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, an honorary organization for accounting students, won top honors for their recent presentations at the group’s annual Western Regional Meeting in San Diego, co-hosted by the University of San Diego and the University of Hawaii chapters.

Competing in the "Best Practices" competitions, one Northridge team won first place and will move on to compete against the other eight regional champions in August at the organization’s International Meeting in Chicago.

The first place win by graduate student Jonathan Cohn, senior Ping Yu and juniors Melissa Scalisi, Sharon Sirisakyot and Jennifer Smith was for their presentation on the chapter’s sustained assistance to L.A. Cash for College, a program sponsored by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and other community organizations. The program helps high school students and their parents find and apply for financial aid to attend college.

Juniors Kendra Turski, Juan Cantero and Hripsime Mahtesyan won second place for a presentation called "Student Extreme Makeover," about the chapter’s efforts to encourage student involvement in professional accounting organizations.

Cal State Northridge’s College of Business and Economics is home to several nationally recognized programs where students gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside faculty members and business professionals in a variety of areas. Among its acclaimed programs is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program in which CSUN students provide free tax preparation assistance to low income families and individuals. The college is also home to the San Fernando Valley Economic Research Center, where students work with faculty in collecting assembling, analyzing, and disseminating economic, social and demographic data pertaining to the Valley.