Stephanie Roa
Name: Stephanie Roa
Hometown: Hawley, Pa.
Year in School: Junior
Major: Accounting
Some people enjoy living in small towns while others prefer more densely populated areas. Regardless of one’s personal preference, CCU student Stephanie Roa, who hails from a small Pennsylvania community of 1,038, says you can learn a lot from living in one.
“I learned how to communicate with people,” Stephanie explains, giving credit to her upbringing in Hawley, Pa., for teaching her the finer points of interacting and relating to others.
Adding that communicating with the same individuals on a day-to-day basis allowed her to develop people-reading skills, she has started to put this nurtured talent to work as she succeeds in her business endeavors within the Wall College of Business.
An accounting major, Stephanie has already racked up valuable professional experience during her time as a Chanticleer. She is a Student Executive Leader (SEL) within the Wall College and is the executive treasurer of the Phi Beta Lambda business organization. Recently, Stephanie started Coastal’s chapter of The Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement (SCLA), an organization focused on preparing young professionals for leadership positions. She currently serves as the group’s president.
Perhaps most impressive of all, Stephanie is an associate with the Community and Business Engagement (CoBE) Institute, a student-led consulting organization. Her work with CoBE will take her to Spain during Spring Break to meet with a law firm. Stephanie and her fellow CoBE peers provided consulting services to this particular firm from afar but this upcoming March they will have the chance to connect on-site.
“Coastal has afforded me so many opportunities and has allowed me to learn a lot about myself,” says Stephanie as she reflects on what her time at Coastal has allowed her to do.
Stephanie would like to work for a CPA firm in the future, or, perhaps, something a little different. If stars align correctly, she would like to pursue a position within the FBI performing forensic accounting. This latter dream might not have garnered consideration if not for Coastal.
“When I came to CCU I was really shy and wouldn’t put myself in many situations out of my comfort zone,” Stephanie says. “But Coastal has allowed to do that and become a better person.”
Q&A with Stephanie
How did you hear about Coastal?: Someone I went to high school with who was older than me decided to go to Coastal, and I had no intention of staying in Pennsylvania, so I decided to take a tour of the school and fell in love.
Why did you come to Coastal?: I knew I was interested in business and had heard that Coastal had a great business program that was the perfect size. It doesn’t hurt that Coastal is close to the beach and I really didn’t want to stay in my home state. In fact, for a long time I claimed I didn’t even want to apply to schools in Pennsylvania.
Favorite professor: Professor David Fink. I have taken two of his courses and I just think he has so much knowledge of the business world and really cares about helping his students learn. Most days in the beginning of class we read current articles about business and strategy in the news, and I think it is a great way to connect with things that we are going to be dealing with when we enter the work force.
Favorite class: I really enjoy any of my accounting classes. I struggled to find the right major for me because I had no idea what I wanted to do when I graduated from high school, besides I wanted to be in the business field. I started out as a marketing major, before realizing that I missed working with numbers. Then I switched to finance, and didn’t really enjoy those classes that much. When I decided to pursue accounting I found that I really enjoyed those classes, so I am happy when I am in any of them!
Favorite aspect of Coastal?: I really like the small class sizes because it makes our great business classes that much better. Being able to really connect with a professor and be able to get their help and advice is one of the most valuable things that I have received from CCU.
Favorite aspect of living in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area?: I came from a really, really small town in Pennsylvania and we had to drive an hour just to get to the movie theater, mall or any real shopping centers. I like that living in the Grand Strand there is always something to do and it is never too far away.
Clubs/Intramurals/other extracurricular activities involved in?: I am a brother of Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity, where I also serve as a committee chair. I am also Executive Treasurer of Phi Beta Lambda business organization. In addition, last semester I started Coastal’s Chapter of The Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement (SCLA) and I currently serve as president. I am also part of the Student Executive Leaders (SEL) in the Wall College.
Do you work anywhere currently (either on or off campus)?: I do have a job on campus. I am an associate with the CoBE (Community and Business Engagement) Institute. It is a student-led business consulting program, so we help local and international businesses with any problems they might have, and provide them with possible solutions. We are also consulting with a business in Spain and visiting that business to present our solutions during Spring Break.
Plans after graduation?: I am not sure exactly what I want to do yet, but I do plan to get my CPA certification and I am super interested in forensic accounting, so the dream right now is to obtain a position with the FBI doing forensic accounting. If that doesn’t work out, I would like to work in an accounting firm.
What are your hobbies?: I like to go to the beach, see new places, hike and watch Netflix