Allison Pascarella

Florida Southern College School of Business

“Confident and driven leader with excellent communication skills and a warm, humorous, and caring personality.”

Fun fact about yourself: I have a twin that also attends Florida Southern, and we are both serving as President of different sororities!

Hometown: Lakewood Ranch, Florida

High School: Lakewood Ranch High School

Major: Accounting

Minor: Business Administration

Favorite Business Course: Managerial Accounting

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College: Delta Sigma Pi – Vice President of Chapter Operations and Vice President of Community Service. Dean’s Advisory Council – President and Secretary. Kappa Delta Sorority – President and Vice President of Inclusion. Community work: Girl Scouts of America, SPCA, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Sandwich Ministries, Heartland for Children, and Prevent Child Abuse America. Honor societies: Phi Eta Sigma, Beta Gamma Sigma, and the National Society of Leadership and Success.

Where have you interned during your college career?

PricewaterhouseCoopers: Audit intern in Tampa BDO: Audit intern in Tampa

Grant Thornton: Sophomore Rotation Intern in Tampa

Saltmarsh: Tax Intern in Tampa

Where will you be working after graduation? After my internship this summer, I will make my final decision as to where I will be working full- time upon graduation.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I have learned from studying business is the importance of effective communication and collaboration in both organizations and team settings. Through countless group projects in my classes and my involvement in business organizations, I have learned that people have different leadership and learning styles. Therefore, it is essential to adapt to different environments and continuously improve communication processes. There can be some conflicts in team settings, but addressing them promptly and constructively is vital for success.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Business is a great foundation that will benefit you regardless of your specific business focus. It is important to experience as much as you can by attending career service events and applying for multiple internships. The internships I have obtained through the business school have sharpened my soft and technical skills. I am now better equipped and prepared for my future career in accounting.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? Looking back, on my first three years of college, I would have chosen to maximize my learning experience by taking the full 18 credit hours each semester, enabling me to take additional business courses.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am most proud of the courage it took to step out of my comfort zone and interview for highly competitive firms. When receiving my offer from PWC, I was ecstatic, as I had achieved this opportunity all on my own. It gave me the confidence moving forward, that I am well prepared because of my experiences at Florida Southern. Through mock interviews, career fairs, and other opportunities the business school has afforded me, I now have the confidence and skill set moving forward to achieve my goals.

Which classmate do you most admire? A classmate that I genuinely admire is Katie Sharp. Having recently graduated with her Master’s in Accounting, she showed me that no assignment, exam, or class is too difficult when putting in the time and your best effort. Katie was an outstanding leader in the many organizations in which we served together. She always encouraged and set an excellent example for me and many others in the business school.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I am thankful for my dad and all the “life lessons” he shared throughout my life. He taught me about hard work, professionalism, and work ethic. Having built his business from the ground up, and watching his leadership throughout the ups-and-downs of his company will always inspire me. He has also taught me that being a professional comes with lifelong learning and continued growth. Because of his encouragement and support, I have learned to dream big and shoot for the stars. My dad will always be my role model.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? The first item on my professional bucket list is earning my CPA license, which will open up new opportunities and enhance my credibility in the workplace. Secondly, I want to climb the corporate ladder with one of the Big Four accounting firms and eventually become a partner.

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