SXU Accounting Student Thrives With High-Impact Learning
Saint Xavier University (SXU) accounting student Suzanna Harbut has spent her time at SXU engaging in high-impact learning opportunities that have enhanced her skills and prepared her for career success.
Over the summer, Harbut worked on earning the Microsoft Office Specialist Excel Associate certification, which prepares students with the skills needed to create, manage, and present data with a focus on worksheets and workbooks, data cells and ranges, managing charts, and performing operations with formulas and functions.
"The certification shows my commitment to continuous learning and development, which employers seem to appreciate. Now, I'm motivated to earn other certifications," said Harbut.
To prepare for the certification, Harbut took SXU's Software for Business Analytics core course that students take in their first or second year. Students learn all the skills and knowledge required to pass the certification test and use Excel to analyze business problems and learn how to persuasively communicate the analysis results to help organizations thrive in today's competitive environment. The certification is especially impressive to future employers.
Harbut, who is on track to graduate in 2025, chose accounting because she appreciated the structure and logic of it, especially in helping make better-informed decisions within a company, and she knew SXU would be the perfect place to explore her accounting ambitions.
"SXU stood out to me because it had a strong accounting program with a great community and support for first-generation students like myself, which has been especially important to me. My accounting courses at SXU have covered quite a lot of real-world applications like financial reporting and tax preparation, providing me with practical skills and hands-on experience I can relate to what I hope to do in the future," said Harbut.
Harbut appreciates the opportunity to engage in high-impact work and connect theory to practice. In her Principles of Marketing class, she completed a capstone project analyzing the marketing plan of a real-world company.
"I'm currently working on another capstone project that is focused on analyzing the service issues of a company. This work has enhanced my analytical skills and attention to detail, which is essential for a career in accounting."
Harbut is a member of the Tau Sigma National Honor Society and stays engaged with the SXU community by attending workshops and visiting the Career Development Center on campus, where she's received lots of help with interview and internship preparation.
In the future, Harbut hopes to pursue a career in accounting for a private business that focuses on financial analysis and reporting. She also hopes to earn her CPA to further her expertise and expand her career options.