Our Foundation

Academic Achievement & Professional Development

Texas MPA students seek excellence both in the classroom and in the workplace. Academic Achievement entails devotion to studying, research, and discipline, knowing that skills and habits learned at the University of Texas will be carried over post-graduation. Professional Development encompasses both nuance and ethics. Successful professionals have great interpersonal skills, panache and ambition. Successful professionals also maintain their integrity and do not allow their desires to overcome their ethics.

Service to the Community

Texas MPA students are leaders in the McCombs School of Business and the University of Texas, and they will continue to be leaders in the professional sphere. Because of this, it is imperative that MPA students be proactive, set the example, and take the lead in giving back to the community. By utilizing our roles as leaders and taking the initiative, we strive to help others by the giving back with our time and talents.

Recent service include: Bastrop fire, LiveSTRONG, Special Olympics, Toys for Tots.

Social Engagement

The Texas MPA Program is vigorous, and as students progress through it, bonds are made and relationships are formed. As students strive for academic achievement, professional development, and service opportunities, an anticipated outcome is a vibrant community among MPA students. The camaraderie that is formed through these experiences contributes to student life and will enhance the professional world after graduation.

Our Leaders

EXECUTIVE BOARD

	Paul Nabhan Position: President Year: 5th Year MPA Hometown: El Paso, Texas Email: Paul.Nabhan@mccombs.utexas.edu
	Aaron Parsow Position: Vice President Year: Traditional MPA Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska Email: Aaron.Parsow@mpa12.mccombs.utexas.edu
	Samantha Raby Position: Chief Development Officer Year: Traditional MPA Hometown: Irvine, California Email: Samantha.Raby@mpa12.mccombs.utexas.edu
	Helen Fu Position: Chief Financial Officer Year: 5th Year MPA Hometown: Houston, Texas Email: Helen.Fu@bba07.mccombs.utexas.edu
	Alexandria Newman Position: Chief Membership Officer Year: 3rd  Year MPA Hometown: Plano, Texas Email: Alexandria.Newman@bba10.mccombs.utexas.edu

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

	Joel Hemmert Position: Senate of College Councils Representative Year: 3rd Year MPA Hometown: El Paso, Texas Email: Joel.Hemmert@bba09.mccombs.utexas.edu
	Heather Ha Position: Alumni Relations Chair Year: 3rd Year MPA Hometown: Arlington, Texas Email: hyunjung222@gmail.com
	Bangyan Zhao Position: Alumni Relations Chair Year: Traditional MPA Hometown: Guangzhou, China Email: Bangyan.Zhao@mpa12.mccombs.utexas.edu
	Claire Williams Position: Service Committee Chair Year: 4th Year MPA Hometown: Dallas, Texas Email: clairewilliams15@gmail.com
	Craig Rosenbaum Position: Financial Committee Chair Year: 3rd Year MPA Hometown: Lewisville, Texas Email: Craig.Rosenbaum@bba09.mccombs.utexas.edu
	Shiran Zhang Position: Social Committee Chair Year: 3rd Year MPA Hometown: Nanjing,  China Email: Shiran.Zhang@bba10.mccombs.utexas.edu
	Jimmy Lee Position: Social Media Chair Year: 3rd Year MPA Hometown: Victoria, Texas Email: Jimmy.Lee@bba09.mccombs.utexas.edu
	Allison Guttenplan Position: Special Events Chair Year: Traditional MPA Hometown: Highland Park, New Jersey Email: allison.guttenplan@gmail.com
	Sarah Neff Position: Historian Year: 3rd MPA Hometown: Grandview, Texas Email: sarah.neff@bba10.mccombs.utexas.edu

News and Events

Members-Only Monday

Members-Only Monday occurs monthly on a Monday morning. On Members-Only Mondays, members meet for coffee and bagels and are welcome to either grab some food and run or stay and socialize for as long as they want. This is usually a great time to catch up with other members!

Want to be a member? Just talk to Helen.

Calendar

Below is a summary of the activities the MPA Council has planned for the 2011-2012 school year. This is your chance to get involved. We look forward to seeing you there!

Spring Semester 2012

• Jan 24: MPA Networking: Making Connections--with MPA Career Services
• Jan 25: Info Session and General Meeting
• Jan 30: Members-Only Monday
• Feb 6: Questions Answered: Internship Recruiting in the Spring--with MPA Career Services
• Feb 8: General Meeting
• Feb 10: Special Olympics Volunteering
• Feb 15: Karaoke!
• Feb 25: Project 2012 Volunteering (blog)
• Feb 27: Members-Only Monday
• Mar 5: GMAT Workshop
• Mar 7: General Meeting
• Mar 26: Members-Only Monday
• Apr 4: Esteemed MPA Council Speaker: Catherine Cook, Founder of myyearbook.com
• Apr 11: Esteemed MPA Council Speaker: Paul Foster, Executive Chairman of Western Refining & Vice Chairman of the UT Board of Regents
• Apr 16: An Inconvenient Tax
• Apr 17: Becker CPE
• Apr 24: Ranges Keynote Speaker: Ray Slocumb, PwC - with Ranges Journal of International Affairs
• Apr 27: Junior Achievement Volunteering
• Apr 30: Members-Only Monday

*these events are pending confirmation

Fall Semester 2011

• Aug 24: Info Session
• Sept 7: General Meeting
• Sept 14: Scavenger Hunt
• Sept 24: Bastrop Relief Volunteering
• Sept 26: Members-Only Mondays
• Sept 28: General Meeting
• Oct 6: Esteemed MPA Council Speaker: Urton Anderson, Accounting Fellow for SEC
• Oct 11: Trivia Night at Mellow Mushroom
• Oct 12: General Meeting
• Oct 14: LiveSTRONG Volunteering
• Oct 15: LiveSTRONG Volunteering
• Oct 24: Members-Only Monday
• Oct 26: General Meeting
• Oct 27: Becker CPE
• Nov 1: MPA Merchandise Sale
• Nov 2: Esteemed MPA Council Speaker: Tristan Mace, Co-Founder of Want Me Get Me
• Nov 3: First Thursday on South Congress St
• Nov 5: Tailgate Party
• Nov 9: General Meeting
• Nov 13: Special Olympics Volunteering
• Nov 17: Esteemed MPA Council Speaker: Valerie Sokolosky, Valerie & Company
• Nov 28: Members-Only Monday
• Nov 30: General Meeting

Esteemed MPA Council Speakers

Esteemed MPA Council Speakers are talk about their insights, experiences, and perspectives. Speakers’ topics are not limited to merely “accounting”; rather, speakers engage members on a variety of topics, such as policy, entrepreneurship, and interpersonal skills.

 

	Paul Foster Western Refining, UT Regent, UTIMCO April 11, 2012 The MPA Council is honored to have Paul Foster as an Esteemed MPA Council Speaker. Mr. Foster is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Western Refining (#298 on the 2011 Fortune 500), is the Vice Chairman of the UT Board of Regents, and is the Chairman of the University of Texas Investment Management Company (UTIMCO) Board of Directors. Mr. Foster received his degree in accounting from Baylor and is a CPA.
	Catherine Cook myYearbook April 4, 2012 The MPA Council is delighted to have Catherine Cook as an Esteemed MPA Council Speaker. Ms. Cook is the founder of myYearbook and is considered one of the top entrepreneurs under 30-years-old by Under30CEO and Inc.
	Valerie Sokolosky Valerie & Company November 17, 2011 The MPA Council is excited to have Valerie Sokolosky as an Esteemed MPA Council Speaker. Ms. Sokolosky is the President of Valerie & Company based out of Dallas. Valerie & Company specializes in leadership development by providing essential skill-building programs, executive coaching, and consulting to summon the full potential of professional executives. Valerie & Company consults Fortune 500 companies and other large organizations, including three of the Big Four. She can be followed on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriesokolosky or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/valsokolosky.
	Tristan Mace ParkerMace, Want Me Get Me November 2, 2011 The MPA Council is delighted to have Tristan Mace as an Esteemed MPA Council Speaker. Mr. Mace is the co-founder of Want Me Get Me. Mr. Mace began creating campaigns at the age of 14 and has worked with several large organizations' marketing strategies, including the University of Texas at Austin. Formerly with ParkerMace, he is now working with The Brandman Agency. Follow his blog!
	Urton Anderson University of Texas, Securities Exchange Commission October 6, 2011 The MPA Council is excited to have Urton Anderson as an Esteemed MPA Council Speaker. Mr. Anderson is currently the Academic Accounting Fellow for the SEC.  This means that he serves as the primary advisor to the SEC on accounting and auditing and acts as a research resource to the SEC staff.  Mr. Anderson is also the Former Department Chair of Accounting at McCombs.  His research has addressed a number of topics in external and internal auditing, including auditor judgment, corporate governance, compliance, enterprise risk management, and internal control.  He has twice served as the Chair of the Internal Auditing Standards Board.  He received the Bradford Cadmus Memorial Award in 2006 for his contributions to the internal auditing profession.
	Steven Kachelmeier University of Texas April 6, 2011 The MPA Council is ecstatic to have Steven Kachelmeir as an Esteemed MPA Council Speaker. Dr. Kachelmeier conducts extensive research in financial accounting and auditing. He is an editorial board member of two publications: Contemporary Accounting Research and Journal of Management Accounting Research.
	Michael Granof University of Texas, GASB, FASAB March 30, 2011 The MPA Council is honored to have Michael Granof as an Esteemed MPA Council Speaker. Dr. Granof is the Ernst & Young Distinguished Centennial Professor of Accounting at McCombs and also teaches in the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. Dr. Granof is a member of both the Governmental Accounting Standards Board and the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board.

Membership

To contact an officer, find out more details about our events, or to include you in our email distribution list, please send us an email to MPAC@mccombs.utexas.edu.

Membership dues are currently $35/year or $20/semester, and may be collected by cash or check. Please contact Alexandria Newman to join, or see us at any of our general meetings!