My interest in business began when I joined the local DECA chapter at my high school. DECA is an extracurricular marketing organization with chapters around the world. Specifically, at my school DECA was responsible for operating our school store, which sold food, beverages, clothing, and supplies during lunches. DECA members also participated in yearly competitions both at the state and national level.

After my first year as a member in the organization I was elected store manager. During this time I was responsible for ordering, inventory control, staffing, and daily cash outs. I also attended a national leadership conference in Anaheim, California where a number of seminars were held for personal growth. Furthermore, I attended two regional conferences in New York City and Burlington, VT.

The proceeding year I was elected president of our DECA chapter. During this time I was selected to conduct a leadership and teambuilding seminar at our yearly state conference. Additionally, that year my teammate and I won 1st place at our state DECA competition in the E-Commerce category. We advanced to nationals in Dallas, TX and placed in the top 30 percentile nationwide.

These experiences I had and relationships I developed in DECA, spurred my passion of business, specifically entrepreneurship. This led to my formation of Bristol Harbor Design while in college. Through this graphic and web design business I have been able to work with a number of clients to develop brand recognition and boost their profitability. I’ve learned much about managing client satisfaction and what it takes to run a business.

As my study at the College of Business at the University of Rhode Island progressed, I became increasingly interested in the analytical side of business. Topics such as capital budgeting, investments, and accounting drew my attention. I became an accounting major and began self-study of investments, specifically derivatives. I eventually opened a family investment account and have been trading stocks, bonds, options, and forex ever since. To challenge myself further and solidify my knowledge of accounting I made the decision to sit for the CPA exam later this year. This in addition to my continued search for a position in public accounting will further my aspirations in the analytical side of business.

Overall, I have had a number of experiences with business and now am seeking to gain exposure to the more in-depth and analytical fields. In this regard, I am currently seeking a Fall 2010 position in accounting to complement my studies and gain real world experience.