Mercy College Associate Professor Denise Stefano Elected to NYSSCPA Foundation for Accounting Education Board of Trustees

The New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) has announced that Mercy College Associate Professor of Accounting, CPA and author Denise Stefano has been elected to serve a three-year term on the Foundation for Accounting Education (FAE) Board of Trustees. Stefano’s term began on June 1, 2019.

Stefano was nominated by the organization earlier this year to serve as one of its four vice presidents, also effective on June 1.

As a trustee, Stefano will be responsible for helping to set the general direction for educational programs, as well as overseeing the scholarship program and the Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession (COAP) program. COAP is a week-long program which encourages minority high school students to join the accounting profession. She said she is looking forward to being a trustee and how it will impact her teaching and students.

“The benefits of being an NYSSCPA FAE Trustee are numerous,” Stefano explained. “For one, the FAE is the accounting education arm of the NYSSCPA, coordinating a host of continuing professional education (CPE) seminars that revolve around current matters impacting accounting, auditing, tax and other related areas. My role as trustee will undoubtedly allow me to maintain the utmost currency in accounting practice and bring that to the classroom to students. Trustees are also involved in helping to develop the curriculum offered in these CPE Programs.”

Stefano added: “Second, being on the FAE Board of Trustees provides tremendous networking opportunities and expansion of my professional network, which has been instrumental to connecting our students with prospective employers/accounting firms for internships and other job opportunities. Lastly, the FAE is involved in scholarships offered through the NYSSCPA to students and being in the center of this provides our students potential scholarship opportunities as well.”

Stefano first joined the NYSSCPA in 1999 and has steadily increased her role and prominence within the organization. She has held numerous positions at the state and chapter levels of the association, including a stint as the Westchester Chapter representative on the NYSSCPA Board of Directors. To be named to the FAE Board of Trustees and as a vice president is indicative of the support she has received over the years.

“The recognition received by my peers in being elected to these roles is what I think any CPA professional would seek in their career pursuits,” Stefano mentioned. “I work with a ‘top notch’ group of professionals through whom I can engage with on a host of matters impacting the accounting profession and being in this mix provides me personal opportunities to advance myself as a business and accounting professional, and also as an educator at the forefront of the accounting profession.”