Kylie Phillips
Fordham University, Gabelli School of Business
“I am committed to helping others while bettering myself through new experiences.”
Fun fact about yourself: I met John Stamos in Disneyland. I loved watching Full House when I was younger.
Hometown: Zachary, Louisiana
High School: Zachary High School
Major: Public Accounting
Favorite Business Course: Financial Accounting
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:
Beta Alpha Psi – Member and Club President
First Year Advising – Mentor and Coordinator
Pedro Arupe Volunteers – Council Member
Dean’s List Fall 2022-Spring 2023 and Fall 2023- Spring 2024
Where have you interned during your college career?
Fordham university, Bronx, New York, Research Intern
Ernst & Young – Manhattan, New York -Launch Intern
Where will you be working after graduation? Ernst & Young – Tax Intern
Who is your favorite business professor? Professor Dennis Hanno was the best professor I have had. He left a lasting impression on me and my peers. I watched my class adjust their mindset throughout the semester. He brought his personal experiences and passion to the lessons. He also brought interesting activities that indirectly taught me about management and team-building.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? I learned the importance of people in an organization. Networking and understanding others are the real cores of a successful operation.
What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? I would suggest being open to many areas of business and finding the lifestyle and type of work that is best aligned with your personality.
Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I would want to connect more with students from other schools to learn about the nature of business education through a different institution and to expand my network with more people entering the industry. I think this would help with developing a greater sense of the overall state of the business world. It would also help me find others who have similar career interests that come from different backgrounds.
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? Fordham has implemented AI in many classes to see where it excels at efficiency and where it cannot be relied on. For example, last week in our advanced assurance and audit class, we answered CPA questions and then compared our answers to those of large AI programs. We noted the differences and saw the importance of professional skepticism. I learned that my education is still very valuable in decision-making and coming to the best conclusions.
Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am most proud of my work as a First-Year advising coordinator. When I began working with the program two years ago, it did not have the structure it has today. I believe Fordham students are learning more, connecting with other students, and becoming more involved with the various communities as a result of what we have done to expand mentorship for new students.
Which classmate do you most admire? Jennifer Fluet has been a great student and devoted leader during her time at Fordham. She is very driven and has transformed the Fordham Marketing Association.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? Professor Kelly Ulto has been very helpful in my time at Fordham. She is constantly connecting students with resources to help us prepare for the real world. She has also helped with keeping Beta Alpha Psi up to the standards of other national chapters. I appreciate her patience and openness to the ideas of students.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?
I would love to receive recognition through promotion to an executive-level position.
I would also love to travel to a different country or live abroad for a work commitment.
What made Kylie such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?
“Kylie has made a meaningful impact on campus over the last four years in so many ways. She has consistently demonstrated her commitment to our school and the accounting profession through her involvement in campus events beginning in her freshman year. What stands out most about Kylie is her sincerity in everything she does. She engages with others in such a thoughtful way and her compassion and willingness to assist others have made her a reliable source of support to her classmates. Her genuine interest in supporting her peers is evident and reflected in her active participation in so many mentorship programs. As member and now president of Beta Alpha Psi (BAP), her strong leadership skills have been evident in her thoughtful planning and execution of weekly events for our chapter as well as in the encouragement she offers to our members. She has been a pleasure to work with and will be missed when she graduates. I know she will do great things!”
Kelly Ann Ulto MBA CPA
Associate Clinical Professor of Accounting
Program Director-Masters of Accounting
Gabelli School of Business
Fordham University
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