Conference on internal auditing benefits both students and faculty

10/11/2012 11:23 AM

By Clarrissa McWoodson ‘14

Accounting majors Anthony Isherwood and Jeff Bradley flew to Orlando, Fla., with Dr. Simon Petravick, chair of the accounting department, to meet and learn from some of the best in the field of internal auditing.

The trio attended the Internal Audit Education Partnership Leadership Conference and, while there, seniors Bradley and Isherwood networked with other students and recruiters as well as participated in professional development programs.

Both students also sharpened their auditing skills during a competition that teamed students together to work on a problem that a professional internal auditor would handle. After all groups presented their work to a panel of professionals, Isherwood’s group received a second place award.

“There were many presentations throughout the weekend, but the one that sticks out in my mind is the one about, ‘Brand You.’ It was all about setting yourself apart from others and making yourself memorable,” said Bradley, from Streator, Ill.

He added, “Internal auditing is something that has interested me as a possible profession for over a year now and it was a great experience networking with people out in the profession and learning first hand from them why they love going to work every day.”

The Institute of Internal Auditors, an international organization for professionals that work in the field of internal auditing, sponsored the conference. The annual organization partners with Bradley and other schools to help professors develop better courses in internal auditing.

The conference also featured a separate program for accounting professors from 25 universities to talk about ways to improve how they teach internal auditing and which educational activities are the most beneficial to students.

At the conference, Dr. Petravick discussed how he uses audit software and a database program built for auditing to teach students. He added that the conference helps accounting students learn a lot about the field and can even find a job.

“Our students interviewed with companies that don’t come to Bradley and they also had an opportunity to meet students from all over world to see how other education systems work,” he said. “The students were able to learn from top people what it takes to be successful as an internal auditor.”