KPMG, one of the nation's four largest international public accounting firms, has named UC Santa Barbara a Premier School, one of only 38 in the country. With the designation from KPMG, each of the firms that comprise the Big Four have now recognized UCSB as a key source for recruiting new accounting graduates to professional positions. In addition to KPMG, the Big Four include Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Previously, Deloitte named UCSB a Strategic School, Ernst & Young identified it as a Focus 60 School, one of 60 universities in the country, and PricewaterhouseCoopers named it a Priority School.
The designations indicate each firm's intention to dedicate additional resources and recruiting efforts to the campus. Their recognition of UCSB is based on the quality of the accounting program and its faculty, the success of UCSB students in passing the certified public accounting exam, and the talent UCSB graduates have demonstrated to their respective employers over the years.
Among Premier Schools in the southern California area, UCSB is joined by UCLA and USC.
"As an alum of UCSB, I am proud that UCSB was selected by KPMG as one of only 38 universities in our initial group of Premier Schools," said Greg T. Geyer, campus lead partner with KPMG. "The designation ultimately reflects the high quality of the UCSB graduates entering the business world.
The faculty and curriculum are exceptional, which are reflected in the high percentage of graduates who pass the CPA exam and the number of UCSB alumni who successfully transition from UCSB to KPMG.
Graduates tend to be well rounded and among the best candidates to build a career at KPMG."
The accounting firm employs a significant number of professionals who have graduated from UCSB, he noted, including 15 partners and 125 active employees who work in offices across the country and around the world.
Every year, approximately 300 students graduate from UCSB with degrees in business economics and accounting. Each of the Big Four firms regularly hires as many as 50, according to Coby Harmon, a lecturer in the economics department. The most active recruiting takes place during the month of October, with students who plan to graduate in Spring 2007 interviewing for jobs they'll begin later that year.
"Most of our students already have jobs in place by the end of fall quarter of their senior year," said Harmon.
Share this article
