Strobel Accountancy Honors Spotlight: Justin
Today on DeBlogs, we meet Justin! Justin is a Blue Demon in our prestigious Strobel Accountancy Honors Program. For students interested in accounting specifically or business generally, Strobel is the perfect place to make an academic home. Check out Justin’s story below to discover this incredible program!
Hello! My name is Justin Keldani, and I’m a current Junior in the Strobel Honors Accountancy program. I didn’t know what to expect when I initially joined the program, but looking back on the past two years or so, it’s safe to say I got everything I expected and more out of it.
Why DePaul?
I chose DePaul for its location, as well it’s atmosphere and environment. At first, I had enrolled as an actuarial science major, until I got an invite for Strobel. I didn’t know much about accounting (besides somewhat disliking the one class I took in high school), but figured it was worth a shot since any business major needs to take accounting anyways. It turned out to be a great decision.
The first thing that caught my attention was the faculty. In Strobel, you have a set schedule of accounting classes, meaning your professors are hand selected. From day one, my professors were extremely engaging, caring, and of course knowledgeable in their fields. Every professor is happy to speak with you outside of class and will take the time and effort to ensure you feel supported in your academics. I’m happy to say I still have a good relationship with all my former and current professors in the Strobel program, even years after taking their class.
A big selling point of Strobel is your cohort. Given the earlier mentioned set schedule of classes, you take every accounting class with other members of Strobel. Over time, this group has been responsible for some of my best friendships at DePaul. More generally speaking, I’ve found my peers to be a like-minded, social, and friendly group. Everyone is happy to study, hang out, or help one another if they can.
Career Connections & Networking with Strobel
The same day as my very first accounting class, we had our Strobel orientation, which was shortly followed by a networking event with representatives and alum from the biggest accounting firms in the country. This was a testament to Strobel’s reputation among the big accounting firms. Fortunately, this event wasn’t a one-off, and I’ve had a countless number of opportunities to interact with recruiters for accounting roles. Thanks to Strobel, I’m on pace to have completed internships at 4 different firms by the time I graduate, including a M&A (mergers and acquisitions) advisory internship with EY, one of the largest accounting firms globally.
In large part, I have Strobel to thank for the personal and professional relationships I’ve made here at DePaul, as well as for an overall enriching and beneficial experience during my college years. I feel well-positioned to enter the workforce once I graduate, and am grateful I made the decision to join Strobel all those years ago.
~Justin