Fowler Scholar Spotlight: Katherine Tat
Katherine Tat, Class of 2025.
The Fowler Scholars Program was established in 2018 to educate and prepare a select group of Fowler College of Business students for accelerated and lasting leadership roles in global business and society. Each year, the college selects a new group of freshmen from the San Diego community to become Fowler Scholars. The students selected for the program have demonstrated leadership, ethical conduct, and exceptional academic and collaborative abilities.
Katherine Tat, a class of 2025 Fowler Scholar, is a freshman majoring in Accounting. Community service plays a significant role in Tat’s life and has influenced her decisions to continue serving the public through a more technological approach. After graduation, Tat hopes to gain experience at a public accounting firm and then hold the position of Investigating Auditor for a government agency to end corporate financial fraud. Tat discusses what being a Fowler Scholar means to her, how she decided to study accounting, and more.
Q: What does it mean to you to be a Fowler Scholar?
To me, being a Fowler Scholar means being part of a close-knit learning community where I can further develop and apply leadership skills. I am excited about the networking and developmental opportunities this program will offer in the upcoming years. I am sure it’s unique structure will train me to become an ethical business leader in the future.
Tat at the Vietnamese Student Association’s ACE Program.
Q: Can you describe a little bit about yourself and how you decided to pursue accounting as an area of study?
Throughout high school, I held leadership roles in Air Force Junior ROTC, the San Diego Unified School District Joint Brigade, and the Scripps-Miramar Teen Council. These helped me develop my self-confidence and leadership skills. I was also active in Peer Tutoring Club, Female Empowerment Club, and a national space design competition called “StellarXplorers.” Through this competition, I learned how to manage a budget, which inspired me to pursue accounting as an area of study.
Q: Who inspires you and why?
My parents, both refugees from Vietnam, inspired me to work hard through perseverance and their sacrifices to build a life for my family in the United States. They have also always supported me in all of my endeavors. I strive to make them proud as a way of showing my appreciation for their support.
Q: What career aspirations do you have following your time at SDSU?
I take pride in the act of community and public service, and I hope to pursue a career that allows me to practice this belief. My goal for the future is to serve the public as a government agency Investigating Auditor, where I can investigate and stop corporate financial fraud after gaining experience working in a public accounting firm.
