Nicholas Gabriel
University of Richmond, Robins School of Business
“A future accountant and Survivor fan that has a booked Google Calendar.”
Fun fact about yourself: I was a contestant on the Pittsburgh-area trivia show “Hometown High Q”.
Hometown: Uniontown, Pennsylvania
High School: Laurel Highlands High School
Major: Accounting, Concentration in Business Analytics
Favorite Business Course: Forensic Accounting (ACCT 359)
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:
- President of the Delta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi
- Vice President of Administration and Finance of the Robins School of Business Student Government Association
- Student Manager and Speech Consultant at the Weinstein Learning Center
- Head Proctor of the Robins School of Business Excel Competency Exam
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program Volunteer
- Student Representative to the Search Committee for the Dean of the Robins School of Business
- Dean’s List for All Semesters of College
- Finalist for Herb Peterson Award for the Outstanding Graduating Accounting Student (Winner To Be Determined)
- Phi Eta Sigma Honors Society Member
- Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honors Society Member
- McGladrey & Pullen Scholarship Recipient
Where have you interned during your college career?
- Product Delivery Intern at Shelfmark – Pittsburgh, PA
- Corporate Tax Intern at KPMG – Pittsburgh, PA
Where will you be working after graduation? Corporate Tax Associate at KPMG
Who is your favorite business professor? This is difficult to answer with the sheer number of amazing professors I have had over the years, but I have to choose Dr. Robert Pawlewicz. Not only have I had the pleasure of taking him for a class, but he is also my academic advisor. I took his class on auditing, and he always managed to be excited about the topic at 9:00 AM with plenty of personal stories to keep us engaged. His advice also goes beyond the classroom: Dr. Pawlewicz is a mentor to all accounting students for career readiness and CPA exam planning. In addition, he is incredibly personable and always willing to sit down and chat. It has been an honor to get to know Dr. Pawlewicz and the rest of the accounting department over my four years at the University of Richmond.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? My biggest lesson from studying business is that learning is a lifelong journey. The world of business, and specifically accounting, is always changing. That is why it was more important not to learn how to prepare a company’s financial statements, but instead how to continuously learn new information. Because I learned how to keep learning, I was also never afraid of taking a class outside of my comfort zone. This ability allowed me to adapt to a variety of different classes in college and will be invaluable as I face new and unfamiliar tasks in the professional world.
What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? My piece of advice is to take classes outside of your major whenever possible. The field of business interacts with every aspect of the world at large, so it is invaluable to learn about the world as much as possible. No matter what aspect of business you are majoring in, learning about other topics such as public speaking or a foreign language can help you grow in unexpected ways. Personally, I took courses on public speaking and negotiations, two topics that are unrelated to accounting. In addition, one of my unexpectedly favorite classes at the University of Richmond was Basics of Acting, simply because it pushed me out of my comfort zone.
Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? One thing I would do differently would be not to rush to finish my required classes. I was hyper-focused on completing the requirements for my accounting major that I didn’t leave many major classes for my senior year. I would have liked to spread out the classes I took to make the amount of work more consistent across semesters. I ultimately still took every class I was interested in over my college career, so it ended up working out.
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? The Robins School of Business has done an excellent job of integrating AI into the curriculum, especially with the University of Richmond’s SpiderAI. In particular, my Economics of the European Union class included a few assignments that required asking generative AI models to evaluate our work and suggest improvements. Following this, we would provide commentary on the changes that the model suggested. Personally, I have learned that AI is an excellent tool for studying, particularly when given a bank of multiple-choice or written questions. The AI model can evaluate your responses to the questions and provide feedback for improvement.
Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am most proud of my time in Alpha Kappa Psi, a co-ed professional business fraternity. I spent my entire college career in the organization and served in several officer roles. This culminated in being elected as president of the chapter for a full year. This organization contributed immensely to my personal growth, teaching me proper techniques for answering interview questions and generally improving my public speaking skills. Since then, I have spent my time paying it forward by mentoring younger students to improve these same skills. I have been happy to give back to this community that has done so much for me.
Which classmate do you most admire? I have made many friends during my time at Richmond, but none have had a more positive impact on my life than Brandon Bayzath. We both joined Alpha Kappa Psi in our first semester and have been close friends ever since. Many hours were spent together in the laundry room of our dorm practicing how to answer interview questions. His drive and determination are inspiring to me, and he is part of the reason why I chose to pursue accounting as my major. I have had the pleasure of living with Brandon for the past two years, through which he further proves his excellent character. His ability to thrive in any social interaction is unmatched, and he manages to handle a large array of commitments. We have always been there for each other, and I am proud to call him my friend.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? It’s a bit cliché, but I could not be anywhere near this successful without the support of my family. My parents encouraged me from a young age to pursue academic excellence with a good work ethic, which will continue to pay off for years to come. My brothers are people I can truly rely on, and we can talk to about any topic imaginable for hours. Whether I need help with schoolwork or my social life, I can go to any of them for what I need and come away with invaluable advice. My family has been there to support me in all of my endeavors, so to them I say, “Thank you”.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?
- Obtain my Certified Public Accountant license
- Continue to be a mentor to others
What made Nick such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?
“Nick was an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026 because he elevated every space he entered—academically, professionally, and personally. As an accounting major concentrating in analytics, he combined intellectual rigor with purposeful action. His leadership roles as President of Alpha Kappa Psi and Vice President of Administration and Finance for the Robins School of Business Student Government Association placed him at the heart of student engagement, where he led with integrity, thoughtfulness, and steady competence. Beyond formal titles, Nick consistently showed up for others: as a Student Manager and Speech Consultant at the Weinstein Learning Center, a Student Panelist for Welcome to Accounting events, Head Proctor of the Business Excel Competency Exam, and a VITA volunteer assisting community members with tax filings. In every role, he demonstrated reliability, technical skill, and a genuine commitment to helping others succeed.
What truly set Nick apart, however, was not just the breadth of his involvement but the spirit behind it. Exceptionally bright and hardworking, he is also remarkably humble—curious in thought, respectful in approach, and quietly sociable in every context. Even a year after completing my forensic accounting course, he volunteered to return as a “guest star” in his peers’ fraud news report video, simply because he enjoyed the class and wanted to support others. That ongoing willingness to engage and collaborate speaks volumes. Nick leads not through volume or visibility, but through consistent character, generosity, and example. This rare blend of competence, humility, and service made him an indispensable member of the Class of 2026.”
Ashley Austin
Associate Professor of Accounting
Robins School of Business, University of Richmond
DON’T MISS: 100 BEST & BRIGHTEST UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS MAJORS OF 2026
© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.
