SDSU Finance Students Gain Valuable Insight from AICPA & CIMA Personal Financial Planning Symposium

Four finance students from the Fowler College of Business attended the AICPA & CIMA Personal Financial Planning Symposium to learn more about financial planning strategies and tactics from industry professionals.

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Students Nirvana Bustos, Samuel Manjarrez, Nicholas Schiffman and Scott Yontez attended the conference held from January 21 – 23 at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort.

“Thanks to a sponsorship from AICPA, our students were able to attend the conference at no cost and engage directly with industry leaders,” said Tang. “The students were able to benefit from both the educational and networking opportunities.”

Manjarrez, an SDSU senior specializing in financial services, said the conference gave him an understanding of how artificial intelligence is used in the industry, as well as valuable feedback from financial professionals.

“The technical insights were valuable, especially in understanding how quickly the profession is evolving,” said Manjarrez, who plans to earn his Certified Financial Planning (CFP) certification after graduating this spring. “But the feedback I received from the industry professionals was extremely impactful. It gave me guidance on how I hope to shape my career moving forward.”

SDSU senior, Bustos, said she also appreciated the opportunity to interact with industry professionals, but added that the conference opened her eyes to a potential new career path.

“A lot of advisors are both CFPs and certified public accountants (CPAs), which is something I had never previously considered,” said Bustos, who also plans to sit for the CPA exam following her graduation in May.  “My goal is to one day open a firm of my own that specializes in helping first generation immigrants assimilate financially in the U.S.”