I am an international student who came to the U.S. for the first time back in the fall of 2014 from Pakistan to do my BBA in Accounting and Information Technology from Hofstra University. Since then, I have had a roller coaster ride. My experience at Hofstra so far has been nothing but rewarding and exceptional. I have met some great people and have made lifelong friends. People at Hofstra have been an important factor in making me feel comfortable, whether they are the people from the Zarb School of Business Dean's office, where I started working as a student aide in the end of 2014, or the people in the various clubs I have been part of so far, like Beta Alpha Psi, Hofstra Tax Society or 180 Degrees Consulting. I am also the current Executive Vice President for the Beta Alpha Psi, and have held the position of Treasurer in Tax Society for the academic year 2015 – 2016.Recently, I won the student leadership award for the best Junior Student of the Year. There are honestly no words to describe that feeling, I still cannot recall what I was feeling when my name was announced as the winner for the award, I think I blanked out. Currently, this is one of my biggest achievements and I am really honored to have received this award. This last semester was full of achievements as I was also selected by the Zarb School of Business to represent it at the National DECA Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Last but not least, I successfully got into the leadership programs for all the Big 4 accounting firms, which are considered the most competitive programs to get into, compared to the other programs and positions offered by the Big 4 firms.
Being an international student, and competing with other students has not been easy. I personally had the right motivations that kept me going. Also, thinking about my family back home in Pakistan just added that fire in me which took me to that extra mile. What worked for me personally was my determination and proactive attitude. I faced every challenge with a head on and a smile on my face. With two more years to go, I have a lot more to achieve. I am on the route to sit for my CPA exams next year and look forward to becoming a Certified Public Accountant. Moreover, I also seek to intern with one of the Big 4 accounting firms next summer and hopefully receive a full time offer (through OPT).
Senior – BBA in Accounting and IT & Business Analytics
International Student Affairs would like to congratulate Abdullah on his achievements in winning Junior of the Year.
