Meet the Firms unites students, accounting firms

Published Sep 11, 2025 by
Filed under: Academic, Accounting, Stocknotes, Student Success
A young woman holding a folder speaks with a woman who is facing the camera. They are in a big room with lots of tables.
Emma Elliot, left, chats with BRC accounting and advisory representatives at Meet the Firms. (Photo by Steven Mantilla)
A man in a pink dress shirt stands in the center. To his right is a woman in a black dress in front of a table. A young woman in a brown shirt holding a notepad stands to his left.
ECU alumnus Connor Gorlseky, center, meets with an ECU student and a co-worker at Meet the Firms. (Photo by Steven Mantilla)

Over 30 public accounting firms, private companies and government agencies came together over 200 East Carolina University College of Business students at Meet the Firms on Sept. 9 in Harvey Hall at the Murphy Center. The annual networking event is sponsored by the Department of Accounting.

“What an exciting night,” said Dr. Cal Christian, professor of accounting.  “This event allows our students to meet employers from all over North Carolina and Virginia. These firms want to hire our students. The firms come back year after year because our students have always been exceptional hires. Firms are able to meet students in an in-person environment and have an opportunity to just have a conversation.” 

Many students have found internships and full-time jobs because of employer interactions. COB accounting alumnus Connor Gorlesky ’24, now with Cherry Bekaert, initially learned about the firm at a Meet the Firms event he attended as a student.

“The first time I attended, I landed an internship with Cherry Bekaert,” he said. “That ended up leading to another internship and eventually a full-time starting position with Cherry Bekaert.”

While students may be a bit nervous, Gorlesky feels that they need to bring one trait.

“The only thing you need to do is come in with confidence. Come in with a smile and be ready to talk. Opportunities will be there as long as you’re ready to take that step,” he said.

Junior Ella Slate attended for the first time and was seeking an internship.

“I applied for some internships and people reached out to me about coming to the event,” she said.

Slate was able to talk to several of the firms to which she applied. She feels that has helped her build connections.

“I’ve been able to ask more about their internships, and it’s made me feel more comfortable about potential opportunities,” she said.

The in-person aspect of the event appealed to May 2025 graduate and jobseeker Timothy Mills.

“The opportunities I’m finding right now are a little limited,” he said. “I wanted to come here and meet people. I’ve found that meeting people face to face is so much better than being a resume online. Putting a face to a name is really important.”

Meet the Firms brings students and prospective employers together, but Christian feels that a third group also benefits from the event. “This event reminds the faculty that the time and effort that we invest in students is worth it,” he said. “To watch students interact with professionals and walk away with smiles makes our jobs just that much more rewarding.”