It was the last two weeks of summer break, and no classes were in session, but nearly thirty Dalton State students eagerly arrived on campus to attend a bootcamp – Accounting Bootcamp.
The annual program, sponsored by Nichols Cauley & Associates and hosted by the C. Lamar and Ann Wright School of Business (WSOB), began “five years ago as an accounting refresher for students beginning their first intermediate accounting course,” said Carl Gabrini, assistant professor of Accounting at Dalton State, “but has grown into much more these past two years.”
Students participated in various informational and discussion sessions geared toward preparing them for the WSOB accounting program and the pace of fall classes. Session topics include on-campus engagement opportunities, such as VITA – the Voluntary Income Tax Assistantship Program, where students prepare state and federal tax returns for free under faculty supervision; the WSOB student ambassador program; the Wright Club; professional internships for college credit; and an alumni roundtable.
“The day is capped off with an accounting refresher intended to help students get off to a good start with their course work,” Gabrini said. “The Accounting Bootcamp is an important part of Dalton State’s effort to support the success of students in both academic life and beyond.”
Student evaluations of the program indicated the highlight of the day was the alumni panel discussion, where former WSOB students shared their experiences to help new students make meaningful industry connections. One student noted the bootcamp was a “good way to get back into the groove of things,” and another shared it was “very beneficial and uplifting,” Gabrini said.
“As a professional school, the Wright School of Business focuses on making the transition from college to a career as seamless as possible for our students,” said Marilyn Helms, dean of the WSOB. “The Accounting Bootcamp is an example of these transition initiatives, along with internship and career fairs, graduate school presentations, etiquette training and a host of professional interactions. We hope to expand the bootcamps to other majors as we continue to grow this exciting initiative.”
