Daniel Fiester ’24, M’25 is a senior accounting major who, following his sophomore year, accepted an offer to intern at CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen), a mid-to-large sized accounting firm in West Hartford. He was initially a part of the employee benefits team, but he will be interning there again this summer to explore a different industry of auditing or tax.
Following his experience at CLA, Daniel received a full-time job offer at a local accounting firm. Receiving a job offer prior to graduation has taught Daniel the power of internships. Reflecting on his experience as an intern, he recalled that “it was an extremely positive experience, getting my first taste of the ‘real-world’ and what the actual field of accounting is. I got the privilege to work with a very intelligent and helpful employee benefits auditing team that was incredibly easy to work with and learn from.” Daniel says that despite being an intern, he was always treated as a typical associate. This gave him a clear picture of what a real career in accounting would look like.
Daniel says that his internship taught him many strategies to grow within a company and be successful in his career. The internship helped him work on effective communication skills with peers, co-workers, and clients. Additionally, it helped him become more confident and comfortable when put into new situations. “One of the most important things I learned is very simple,” Daniel explains. “I think that one of the easiest paths to success is to show your company that you care. By asking questions when you’re stuck or simply when you’re curious to learn, and by sometimes going the extra mile to show you are not just going through the motions. This helps you open new opportunities and build a solid network of people who trust you.”
Daniel says that the Barney School of Business has been like a home to him. He is extremely grateful to the school for giving him some of his best college memories. As Assistant Dean Celia Lofink would say, the Barney School has helped him become “career ready.” The various classes that Daniel took across business disciplines gave him incredible insight into the overall landscape of his field. At the same time, the rigorous classes in his major taught him strong problem-solving skills that he will apply to his internship and future jobs. “The numerous events and clubs in Barney also help you grow from a professional standpoint to build a solid network, personal brand, and intangible business skills.”
One faculty member who contributed to Daniel’s academic experience is Associate Professor of Accounting Ibrahim Oz. “I express a lot of gratitude towards him for not only being an amazing professor and advisor, but an incredible person,” Daniel says. “After my first year, he took me under his wing, asking to be my advisor because of the potential he saw in me as an accounting student, giving me the confidence I needed.” Daniel recalls Professor Oz’s dedication to helping every student understand the material. He also notes that Professor Oz always sought to teach accounting in a way that was applicable to the real world. Some students do not find much interest in accounting, but Daniel never recalls being disengaged in Professor Oz’s classes. As an advisor, Professor Oz was always accessible, never pushed Daniel to pursue things he was not interested in, and always gave him the truth. Daniel also appreciates him for providing a recommendation for one of the CMA scholarships, which granted him access to numerous study materials and tests to prepare him for the certification exam.
“Barney offers a ton of amazing events for students to attend to learn about outside companies or expand their network,” Daniel notes. “While taking classes and succeeding is important, to make the most of your experience, it’s more important to attend and participate in these events. Whether that’s attending the Barney Alumni Hall of Fame or networking events put on by Barney and affiliated clubs or attending a variety of events where outside businesses come in to talk to students, I believe this is how you make the most of your academic career. Having a high GPA is good, but getting your name out there and making strong connections is great.”
Daniel’s favorite part of the Barney experience is the school’s personal approach to education. The ratio from student to professor is a perfect balance that allows students to have a natural connection with educators who are experts in their field. Daniel recalls that every Barney professor is willing to help students with whatever they may need. Reflecting on his peers, Daniel argues that Barney students are some of the best people on campus. “I always walked into new classes being comfortable with those around me, as the Barney school feels like one big community,” Daniel emphasizes. When asked if he would change anything about his experience, he says that it is more important to focus on the present than worry about the past. “Despite the many successes I did have, there were plenty of missed opportunities and mistakes made. Without them, I wouldn’t the be person I am today. The only thing I can do is continue to grow for an even better future.”
Outside of the academic world, Daniel has grown as a person through his extensive involvement on campus. He is part of the Barney Leadership Council (BLC) and was recently inducted into Beta Alpha Psi, an honor society for accounting students. He is also president of the Men’s Ultimate Frisbee Team on campus. “The biggest benefit from these clubs is personal growth,” Daniel says. “BLC allowed me to connect with other like-minded business students, grow my personal network, and represent the Barney School. It also allowed me to build networking skills through various alumni and corporate business events, and organizational skills through running different Barney events.”
Being president of the Ultimate Frisbee Team also helped Daniel learn and apply effective leadership skills. It taught him how to manage a team in all areas, including competition, social, finance, and operations. Most importantly, being involved in clubs helped Daniel meet his friends! He says that most of the friends he has made at college have stemmed one way or another from being involved in clubs.
After graduation, Daniel will be completing his master’s degree in accounting at the University of Hartford. He will finish his master’s over the course of next year and the following summer before he starts his full-time job in fall 2025! Until then, he will also be working on his CMA (Certified Management Accountant), and CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exams, both of them accounting accreditations.
Daniel Fiester ’24, M’25, Barney School of BusinessMy advice to an incoming Barney student is that is NEVER too early to start looking for internships and outside experience. The traditional way of thinking is that you can’t get one until after your junior year due to course knowledge—however, the business world is changing. Companies, especially in accounting, want younger students, sometimes even after your first year. This will help open more opportunities later in your college career. Also, having a better understanding of the field through hands-on work experience will help you excel in the classroom. I know it’s easy to get wrapped up in your academics but do not wait to apply! Sometimes, you have to interview a year or more in advance before all the spots are taken. That’s definitely something I wasn’t aware of at the time.