Andrew Pham '18
After graduating a semester early, Andy Pham ’18 was looking for a place to continue his education. The choice was easy. “I love Bryant,” says Pham, who is pursuing his Master of Professional Accountancy at Bryant. “This school has gotten me so far, and helped me grow as an adult, as a professional, and as a person.”
“I wanted my time in college to help me become the best version of myself. And everything that I did, and everybody that I've met, have pushed me to be that better version.”
That process began at 4MILE, Bryant’s cultural and leadership program for first-year international and domestic multicultural students. There, Pham befriended students from around the world, established bonds with mentors, and began to develop a confidence that would come to define his four years at Bryant. “It helped make me who I am,” he notes.
Mentors like Mailee Kue, Ph.D., Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement, and Kevin Martins, Ph.D., the Assistant Director for the PwC Center for Diversity and Inclusion, helped him transition from high school to college. “They motivated me to challenge myself, get out of my comfort zone, and embrace this new experience,” Pham says.
He found that same encouragement in the classroom. His professors, including Mary Ella Gainor, Senior Lecturer in Accounting, “took the time to sit down with me and help me really nail down the concepts,” he says. They also recommended him for key internships with companies such as Dunkin’ Brands and John Hancock Investments.
Pham’s coursework also introduced him to the idea that there’s more to being a good accountant than just understanding numbers. “It’s not enough to be able to read the data. You need to develop the critical thinking abilities to question it, and the storytelling skills to be able to explain it to others,” says Pham, who will be starting as a Tax Associate at PwC in January after completing his Master's.
He’s determined to pay his success forward. “It would be selfish to take in all the help and guidance I’ve received and keep it to myself,” says Pham, who has taken part in multiple Alternative Spring Break service trips, serves on the Bryant Senior Advisory council, and returned to 4MILE as a Peer Counselor. “Giving back to others is free,” he notes, “it doesn’t cost anything and if you take the time to help them out, hopefully, they’ll do the same for someone else.”
Real World Experience
Leadership
Vice President, Bryant Accounting Association
• Connected 150 students members with alumni, and employers
• Spearheaded social media strategy development
Bryant Senior Advisory Council (BSAC)
• Discussed current issues and future improvements on campus with other student leaders and the University President, Provost, and other Cabinet members
Treasurer, Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPA)
• Oversaw organization’s budget and financial well-being, as well as organizational purchases
• Attended weekly board meetings
• Planned workshops to help students develop professionally
• Coordinated with other organizations on campus to educate the Bryant community about Latin culture
Internships
Client Service – Tax Intern, PwC
• Participated in select phases of tax compliance engagements
• Researched tax laws, rules, and regulations, and analyzed their application to specific situations, and in turn, draft memorandums to defend decisions and/or outline solutions to those issues
Fund Administrator – Portfolio & Cash Services Intern, John Hancock Investments
• Monitored operations of programs such as the line of credit facility on leveraged closed-end funds, and closed-end fund shelf offerings/buybacks
• Prepared daily exception reports and participated in the oversight of the Funds' service providers
• Implemented a matrix containing OTC derivatives contracts with sub-advisors and brokers
Enterprise Risk Management - Internal Audit Intern, Dunkin’ Brands Inc.
• Performed Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance testing for key business processes and evaluated internal control effectiveness and materiality-associated risk levels
• Audited all major US Dunkin’ Donuts and International Baskin’ Robbins social media accounts, ensured each followed company protocols
Resident Assistant
Resident Assistant, Office of Residence Life
• Assisted and advised first-year students about academic, social, and personal matters
• Acted as a referral agent and acquainted students with various departments and services within the University
• Planned, budgeted, and led monthly hall programs to promote awareness of social, diversity, education, and health issues for first-year students
Mentoring
Student Mentor, IDEA (Innovation and Design Thinking Experience for All)
• Encouraged and assisted students learning the elements of design thinking
• Facilitated workshops and presented design thinking concepts alongside faculty mentors
4MILE Peer Counselor, Bryant University Center for Diversity and Inclusion
• Served as a mentor, group facilitator, and resource for Multicultural and International students first-year students, enhancing their personal and professional growth
Honor Societies
Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society
• Assisted with ODK’s signature involvements including IDEA and a Thanksgiving food drive
A Connected Community
Bryant's purposeful student life delivers co-curricular immersion with an inspiring, collegial community. Students forge deep connections that last a lifetime.