Experiential / Reality-based Learning / February 25, 2016

Smith Sophomores Visit KPMG for Smith2DC

Smith Sophomores Visit KPMG for Smith2DC

Smith student Philip Peker ’18 writes about a professional immersion program with KPMG called Smith2DC for sophomores at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business on Feb. 19, 2016.

Sophomore year is a special year. Nestled between the nerviness of freshman year and the imposing immensity of junior year, sophomore students are exposed to endless opportunities. The hardest part is picking the opportunities that matter.

On Friday, Feb.19, a group of Smith Sophomores embarked on a one-day professional immersion program with KPMG called “Smith2DC.” The day was broken up into two halves: in the morning, the students learned about what social responsibility means to a company like KPMG, and in the afternoon, the students volunteered as KPMG representatives at a local elementary school, practicing what was preached. It was a fulfilling day, one that fused business and altruism, a partnership often overlooked in today’s, bottom-line driven society.

After a short bus ride from College Park to Washington, D.C., the students arrived at the glistening doors of 1801 K Street, home of KPMG. An elevator trip up, and there they were filing into the presentation room, cautious of not staring too long at the mouthwatering lunch on the side that awaited them later. Hayley Ford, Campus Recruiting Manager for KPMG, opened the information session, discussing how important service and volunteerism is to KPMG. She handed the microphone off to her colleagues as they recounted their service experiences at KPMG, from providing hurricane relief assistance in New Orleans, to teaching kids at elementary schools.

After a Q&A session and a hearty lunch, the students were treated to a tour of the facilities. With a gym that has personal trainers and yoga instructors, a kitchen stocked with anything one could ever crave, and beautiful views of the city, it’s not hard to imagine calling this place home. Upon receiving their blue KPMG volunteer t-shirts, the students headed off to Marie Reed Elementary School to read, play and put smiles on young students’ faces.

As one of the students on this trip, I have to say that interacting with these kids was one of the most fulfilling college experiences I have had thus far. It allowed me to climb out of my business school skeleton, take off my “accounting” or “finance” or “marketing” hat, and tap into a skillset that has been largely sitting on the shelf. Being a mentor is an incredibly delicate job, because the young students will plug into anything you do. Since you are older, they think anything you do is simultaneously wise and “cool.” Even from spending an hour or two with them, the chance of molding their way of thinking, framing their perspective, and educating them is very tangible and real. This new type of responsibility is both a blessing and a challenge. Even though we spent most of the time doing arts and crafts, fooling around, and laughing, I felt an immediate connection to these students. Noah, one of the students at Marie Reed, came up to me before we left and said, “Mr. Philip, you will come back right?” At that moment I realized how precious of an opportunity this is for me, but more importantly, for them. Both of our respective bubbles were popped, as we entered each other’s worlds with curiosity and a genuine desire to both learn and teach.

My fellow sophomores and I ended up talking to these students about how important learning is, and that if one keeps at it, opportunities like going to a great school such as the University of Maryland exist. Boiling down concepts like business and profit for second graders was an exercise in simplifying; a skill used in everyone class, in every major. Hayley Ford shared my excitement for this amazing trip, saying that “the students always surprise you. The amount they know and the questions they ask makes it hard to believe that they are just second graders.”

I came in thinking we were going to teach and enlighten the Marie Reed Elementary school students, but I left knowing that the kids did just as much teaching, if not more. Noticing how appreciative young students are of the little things, like a new concept or a new word, was eye opening, and had me reevaluating a lot about my current state of affairs as a student and young professional. “A lot of times, college students are in their bubble with all that is going on. But when there is the opportunity to go on a trip and make a difference in your community, this opportunity can help you refocus the lens through which you view the world and your own career pursuits,” Hayley rounded off, as we gave our farewells and boarded the bus back to College Park.

This trip was the first of its kind. Emily Doane Heavin, director of the undergraduate program and trip coordinator, wanted to give sophomore students a wholesome introduction to the importance of social responsibility, even as a full-time professional. “I think it’s important for students to see the different side of a Big Four company like KPMG. Company culture and the values they try to espouse ends up playing a huge role in how happy one is at a company, and students should be thinking about these things when applying to jobs.”

Opportunities that matter are those that evolve into something greater. The best opportunities are those that surprise you, expose you to something you didn’t expect, and bring you back with a fresh perspective. Without a morsel of doubt, Smith2DC was one of those opportunities, for the students, for KPMG, and for the energetic and bright Marie Reed Elementary School students.

For more information about the undergraduate program at Smith, visit www.rhsmith.umd.edu/undergrad.

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About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

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