Imagine you are just about a year away from graduating from college, and you have already landed your dream job at a top-tier accounting firm. That’s the case for Brookfield resident Emily Kappel, who is double majoring in Managerial Accounting and Applied & Computational Mathematics with an actuarial science concentration at Western Connecticut State University.

Emily Kappel at PwC’s Tax Conference.

Kappel applied for — and received — an internship for two months last summer in PricewaterhouseCoopers’s Stamford office within their PwC Private Tax Group. “My internship provided me with invaluable networking opportunities, the ability to gain hands-on experience within the tax industry, familiarize myself with relevant technologies and platforms within the industry, and exposed me to the diverse array of specialties within tax and accounting,” she said. “I am extremely grateful to have accepted a full-time return offer and can’t wait to start my career with PwC when I graduate in 2025.”

A lot of factors have worked in her favor since Kappel graduated from Brookfield High School in 2021. At the time, she already knew she wanted to study Accounting in college, but wasn’t sure where. “I did look at several universities prior to coming to WestConn, but in the end WestConn chose me as it became one of my only options due to financial and family circumstances,” she said. “I am extremely grateful and happy that I ended up here because it has been one of the best decisions I could have made and afforded me opportunities I would never have thought possible.”

Emily Kappel

Despite working 20-40 hours/week at several on- and off-campus jobs, Kappel has also found time to be heavily involved in the campus community. “I cofounded the food pantry on campus, and served as the former Pantry Coordinator,” she said. Additionally, Kappel has held several positions within the Student Government Association and participated in the Hancock Student Leadership Program, where she had the opportunity to shadow David Zavarelli, the current Vice President of the WCSU Alumni Association. She is a member of the Kathwari Honors Program, through which she has engaged in various volunteer activities, including serving as an Honors Panelist during Accepted Students Day, and is a current member of the Honors Council. “I currently hold the positions of Executive Vice President and Vice President of Finance for Alpha Delta Pi, and I have also been somewhat involved with the Rotaract Club and the Newman Club,” she added.

Between her multiple campus jobs and her involvement in so many clubs and organizations, Kappel has been able to interact with countless faculty, staff and fellow students. This networking has made a significant impact on her academic journey, she said.

“The three individuals who have had the most profound influence on me are Dr. Christofi, John Murphy, and Dean Hayajneh,” Kappel said. “Dr. Christofi, my advisor whom I first encountered at orientation, played a pivotal role in introducing me to WestConn’s Applied Mathematics program. He quickly identified my strengths and motivated me to continually challenge myself throughout my undergraduate studies. Without his guidance, I may not have pursued a major in Mathematics, nor would I have been as committed to my academic endeavors or taken full advantage of the opportunities available at WestConn.”

Kappel said Ancell School of Business Dean Yaseen Hayajneh is another key figure who recognized her strengths and her enthusiasm for enhancing the university. “I first met him during my tenure as an SGA Senator for Ancell,” she said. “Shortly thereafter, he invited me to work as a student assistant in his office. This position allowed me to engage in several significant projects, including the redesign of brochures for Ancell programs, and to offer valuable feedback on potential improvements for WestConn.”

Finally, Kappel said, “John Murphy, or Advisor Murphy as I have known him, has also been another very influential figure during my time here. I met him through my participation in the SGA, which I joined in my sophomore year, where he serves on the advisory board. Throughout my time in SGA and beyond, he has consistently impressed me with his strong work ethic and genuine concern for the student body. His dedication is evident in his efforts to serve students and ensure that their needs are met. He has also recognized my strengths, encouraging me to seize new opportunities that have helped me develop my leadership skills, such as testifying before the State Appropriations Committee for Higher Education.”

Emily Kappel with her research at the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) MathFest.

As Kappel said, WestConn ‘chose her,’ but she was the one who chose to take advantage of every opportunity available to her as a student. Among these was the chance to take her first flight to Tampa, Florida, in 2023, which came about because Kappel completed a research project for her MAT 272 class during her sophomore year. “My professor, Dr. Wang, encouraged us to submit our research to the Mathematical Association of America to present,” Kappel explained. “My submission was accepted, so I attended the conference and went on to receive an honorable mention for my presentation regarding Portfolio Optimization Using the Simplex Method. I applied for funding through the SGA, which sets aside a certain amount of money to fund academic travel for students, each semester, and the WCSU Foundation provided additional funding to cover the full expected cost.”

“WestConn has afforded me so many opportunities,” Kappel continued. “It is a very tight-knit community with so many opportunities to be involved and professors and administrators who go above and beyond for students. I love that since WestConn is a smaller school, I really get to know my professors and have even had many opportunities to meet and work with upper-level admins, which is something that I really appreciate. I’ve been able to present research at national conferences, feel like I’m really able to effect change at the university, and have had so many job application opportunities that I’ve had to turn many down. I also found my closest friends.”

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.