2019 Best & Brightest: Brandon Kunick, University of Richmond (Robins)

Brandon Kunick

University of Richmond, Robins School of Business

I learned everything from my golden retriever: how to play, relax, and do my business.”

Fun fact about yourself: I have found over 300 four-leaf clovers in my lifetime.

Hometown: Victor, NY

High School: Victor Senior High School

Major: Accounting and French

Minor: N/A

Favorite Business Course: Strategic Management

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College: Vice President of Finance for the Robins School of Business Student Government Association; Tour guide; Future American Men of Excellence (FAME); Theta Chi Fraternity; Varsity Lacrosse; Club Lacrosse, Vice President of Badminton Club; Boatwright Scholar; Phi Eta Sigma honors society; Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society; Academic Excellence medal for highest GPA on the Men’s Lacrosse team.

Where have you interned during your college career?

Mengel Metzger Barr & Co LLP – Audit intern, Rochester, NY

KPMG – Global Audit intern, Richmond, VA and Kuala Lumpur, MY

Where will you be working after graduation? KPMG, Richmond office – Audit Associate

What company do you admire most? I really enjoy the business model of Warby Parker. I learned about the company in high school. Even though I don’t wear glasses, if I did, I would definitely choose to wear theirs.

Who is your favorite professor? It is so hard to choose since I have had so many amazing professors here, but Professor Joe Ben Hoyle made a huge impact on me here at the University of Richmond. His class was my first ever class here and that class is largely what inspired me to choose accounting as my major.

What did you enjoy most about your business school? I love the size of the classes. I get to know the professors really well and I can also meet most of my peers as the small class sizes help facilitate conversations.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? There are so many opportunities in business so don’t just settle for an area of study because it’s the easy option. Find a subject you are passionate about and pursue it with passion.

“If I didn’t major in business, I would be majoring in or studying…International Business.”

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My interest in business actually just came from a coin collection I got from my grandfather when I was young. I got into coin collecting and figured out I wanted to work with money the rest of my life, though I wasn’t sure quite how I wanted to do that.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I walked onto the varsity lacrosse team here at Richmond my sophomore year. It was an amazing experience and I always wanted to play lacrosse in college, so it felt amazing accomplishing that goal.

Which classmate do you most admire? I really admire Cole Hurford. I have had a few classes with Cole, and he has grown to be a great friend of mine here at school. He has been in charge of several different student organizations including new student orientation and president of the business school. He has handled each of these leadership positions exceptionally well and I am impressed that he has been able to manage being a part of so many organizations while still excelling at school and other extracurricular activities

Who would you most want to thank for your success?  My parents have been huge role models for me throughout my life. They have both done incredible things and have inspired me to constantly be the best I can possibly be. So many of my values have come from them and I would love to thank them for that.

What are the top two items on your bucket list? Jump into the top 10 rooftop pools in the world (I’ve already been in two). Visit all seven continents

What are your hobbies? Lacrosse, badminton, coin collecting

What made Brandon such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2019

“Brandon Kunick is one of the Robins School’s best and brightest students because of his enthusiasm and wide range of interests. I met Brandon when he enrolled in my first-year seminar Higher Education: From Aristotle to Animal House. In the seminar, we discussed the various goals of a liberal arts education including improving writing skills, appreciating art, building character, broadening one’s interests, and preparing for citizenship. Brandon was interested in everything. It was clear that he was not in college just to get a job.

Three years later, Brandon enrolled in my 400-level Auditing class. One of the pleasures of teaching both freshmen and seniors is seeing their development. Brandon had grown into a confident, articulate, serious student while losing none of his enthusiasm. From his seat in the front row, he led class discussions and earned some of the highest exam scores in the class.

Besides academics, Brandon’s interests range from music to athletics. He played saxophone in the UR jazz band and made the varsity lacrosse team as a walk-on. His future employer, KPMG, is fortunate Brandon will be joining them in the fall. I’m delighted that Brandon accepted a job in their Richmond office where he will be able to visit campus often for recruiting and alumni events.”

Dr. Paul M. Clikeman
Associate Professor of Accounting

 

 

 

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