Developing Student Enthusiasm: Interaction With Professionals In A Professional Environment

Abstract

While not necessarily a primary responsibility, most business faculty members work to build student enthusiasm for the faculty member’s discipline.  This manuscript describes a project intended to accomplish that objective, as well as, several other objectives.  Specifically, it is used in the Introductory Accounting course, but could be adapted to other disciplines as well.  Groups of students visited and interviewed accounting professionals in their offices.  The students then prepared and presented written and oral reports.  Benefits included exposing students to real-world environments and to successful professionals, and providing opportunities to practice team-building and oral and written communication skills.  In a post-assignment survey, both students and interview subjects felt the assignment was a valuable experience.  Further, a number of students demonstrated a greater level of enthusiasm for the accounting major.