Brewster, New York, native Elisa Cardona will be getting something extra special for Christmas this year. Not only is the Western Connecticut State University senior the first in her family to earn a college degree, but she’ll be graduating a semester early. As if that’s not enough, she already has a job waiting for her — thanks to an internship opportunity she received through the university’s Hancock Student Leadership Program (HSLP).
Cardona graduated from Brewster High School in 2022, and said that when she first started looking at colleges, “I picked colleges that were relatively close to where I live. I chose schools close to me because leaving home was not something I thought about. In the end, I chose WCSU because of its proximity and its affordability. It offered a great tuition and education at a price I could pay.”
Like many incoming freshmen, Cardona at the time did not know what degree program she wanted to pursue. “I went into my freshman year undecided in Business Administration; however, after my second semester, taking ACC 201, I decided it was time to switch,” she explained. “I genuinely enjoyed the accounting class and had a lot of fun learning about what the accounting world brings to students. Additionally, Professor Guy Rotondo was an amazing professor and helped me change my major. The career options and the amount of learning they contain interested me the most. There is so much an Accounting major offers, and I think I’ve been able to experience that firsthand with my Hancock Student Leadership Program internship and my previous two internships at Beers Hamerman Cohen & Burger in Fairfield and Linde PLC in Danbury. I’ve seen the audit and tax side of accounting, and the work they provide for individuals and businesses.”
Cardona said she found out about the Hancock Student Leadership Program through a campus announcement. The program provides eligible students the opportunity to participate in an applied leadership experience designed to enhance their leadership skills, improve their resume, build their professional network, and further develop their leadership potential.
Already a member of the university’s Kathwari Honors Program, Cardona said, “I remember seeing the announcement and applying right away.”
As a result, she was offered the internship at Fiorita Kornhaas & Company in Danbury. “I was an accounting intern and I gained experience in tax and audit,” Cardona said. “All the staff were very supportive and mentored me in the responsibilities and tasks I had to do. In addition, I made some great connections and interacted with people who were very dear and kind to me being the intern of the office. I learned a ton in specific areas related to accounting, including the basis software such as QuickBooks, and tax and audit tasks like tax returns and control testing, including cash disbursement testing. My internship lasted around 10 weeks until mid-November, and was a great experience.”
While at Fiorita Kornhaas & Company, Cardona mentioned to partner Paula Lathrop that she had previously interviewed for other companies during CTCPA Day and had two pending offers from the interviews she had. “Paula said she was hoping that I would stay and join their team in the following year,” Cardona said. “She asked me about the other companies I interviewed for, and told me that the firm would offer me a full-time position. Then she called me in for a more formal conversation and gave me an offer letter. I think my internship turned into a full-time offer because I showed myself to be responsible and dependable, and I proved myself to be able to handle challenges and the work given. I would always ask questions and for help, as well to ask for more work when I had the chance, or help out another staff member who had more on their plate.”
In addition to the hands-on accounting experience Cardona acquired through her internships, she credits WestConn’s teaching faculty with her skill set. “I think all my accounting professors have been really great in helping me throughout my classes and in beginning my accounting career,” she said. “Professor Rotondo has guided me through courses and even how to step into an accounting career. Additionally, I can’t thank Finance Professor and Hancock Student Leadership Program Director Dr. Carol Huang enough for giving me the opportunity to gain this internship, which in turn led to my full-time offer. She was extremely helpful and supportive throughout this whole process.”
Huang said, “I’m really proud of Elisa and how she’s capitalized on the opportunity that her participation in the HSLP provided her. In the nearly 25 years that this program has been in existence at WestConn, there are countless examples of students who have parlayed their internship or shadowing experience into a rewarding job after graduating. Not only do they obtain real-world leadership skills through the program, but participants also receive a $1,500 stipend, thanks to the generosity of the program’s benefactors, Ellen and W. Jason Hancock, who established the Jason and Ellen Hancock Student Endowment Fund with a $1 million gift in 2001.”
Cardona will receive her Bachelor of Business Administration in Financial Accounting this month, and will begin her career at Fiorita Kornhaas & Company in the new year.
She has some words of wisdom for students who are just beginning their educational journey. “My advice would be to take advantage of all the opportunities at WestConn like the HSLP,” she said. “It can be scary or nerve wracking to put yourself out there, but taking the leap of faith and taking a chance can help students gain more opportunities such as this one. There are so many staff members and peers that are supportive and willing to be the helping hand.”
Learn more about the Hancock Student Leadership Program at https://www.wcsu.edu/hslp/.
Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals, and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.