Play it Forward – For Love and Honor

When I attended Miami University almost 40 years ago, there were two organizations that helped me become the person I am today.? The first was my social fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega, and the second was my Business honorary, Beta Alpha Psi.? Upon my retirement from PwC a few years ago, I returned to Oxford to serve as an Executive-in-Residence and Adjunct Professor. When I got back to campus, the amazing feeling I had during my college years immediately returned, and though many things have changed, for me, quite a few other things seem to be frozen in time.

One of the main things that changed during my absence is that Alpha Tau Omega lost its charter. I also learned quickly upon my return that the relevance of Beta Alpha Psi, the organization that served as the foundation for my professional career, seemed to have diminished.? As I did some investigation, I learned there were a few logical reasons for that, one being that students today have internships earlier in their academic careers than in my day and making those connections was the role Beta Alpha Psi had historically played. I also learned there were more B-Orgs on campus today than back in the 80’s making the competition for student’s time a real challenge.

So, when the Accounting Department chair was looking for a faculty member to take over as advisor for Beta Alpha Psi, I was conflicted.? On one hand, I recognized that the factors that had diminished the organization’s relevance were real and, candidly, logical.? On the other hand, I struggled with abandoning the organization which had helped shape my career and taught me important professional skills, particularly given that?my social fraternity had already become extinct on campus.? I realized I had to take a whack at it and see if we could at least move the needle.

I stepped in during the 2022-23 school year and tried to help the students find new and different speakers, but our progress was minimal.? As we approached the current school year, I challenged the four newly-elected officers to think differently, and to create one or more distinctive experiences.?I recounted the events of my senior year, now over 35 years ago, where our officer group planned a long-weekend trip to New York City.

That trip was the first time I had ever been to the Big Apple, and our group activity of seeing A Chorus Line introduced me to theatre, and kindled my love for Broadway musicals, which would eventually lead to my current board service for Playhouse Square in Cleveland. While digital photography didn’t exist back in the day, I found an old film photograph that shows our officer group on a boat ride on the Hudson River. What a memory and special thanks goes to our faculty advisor, Dr. Clayton Hock, who challenged us and supported this unforgettable opportunity.

After kicking around some ideas, this year’s officers decided they wanted to take a trip of their own to Miami, Florida, to take part in the rare opportunity to see the Miami RedHawks play the Miami Hurricanes during the first weekend of the semester. Having spent a decent part of my career in South Florida, I said, “Game on!” but it needed to be more than just about the football game.? We organized a trip to the University of Miami, met with Accounting faculty and students, and learned that Beta Alpha Psi at “The U” was also struggling with similar challenges.

We talked about our respective curricula, and shared best practices, as well as common struggles that went far beyond just the name Miami.? We did of course remind everyone that we met that “Miami was a university before Florida was a state,” which surprised almost everyone on campus.? It was a terrific day on their campus, and I’d like to extend a special thanks to Professor Seth Levine, who coordinated everything for us.

While the game wasn’t one of the RedHawks finest, thanks to the Miami University Alumni Association, I was invited to the alumni suite. This access allowed me to move our students to and from our assigned seats in the student section into the suite to interact with the alumni and university representatives who had travelled for the game.? My favorite moment was snapping a picture of our student Tyler with Miami University President Crawford, who couldn’t have been more gracious.

In addition to the game and university visit, we had a chance to visit some of Miami’s best neighborhoods, including Little Havanna, South Beach, Coconut Grove, and the Design District.? I think the boat ride on Biscayne Bay was clearly one of their highlights as I know it was mine. I couldn’t help but think about my own boat ride on the Hudson River with my Beta Alpha Psi officer team back in the 80s.

I imagine there could be a few skeptics who may think this was simply one giant boondoggle, but let me share just a few things I saw come out of this experience.? I saw four students who barely knew each other function as a team and become a cohesive unit.? They enhanced their planning, budgeting, time management, and communication skills as well as their understanding of university policies for student travel. Perhaps most importantly, I witnessed an increase in confidence, excitement, maturity, and some much-needed gravitas, which I believe will make this year’s Beta Alpha Psi organization exponentially more relevant and impactful.

My thanks and congratulations on a perfect weekend to our 2023-24 Beta Alpha Psi Officers, Gabe Sundberg, Colin Hall, Tyler Jenkins, and Jason Botts.? I can’t wait to work with you this school year and to see where you take the organization.? Thanks also to Dr. James Zhang who built in a layover on the way to his Labor Day weekend plans to spend a few days with us and especially to all those on the University of Miami campus who made our trip so special.?

Finally, thanks to the Miami University Alumni Association for including me in the incredible alumni event Thursday before the game, and for the new friendships I made. I look forward to having even greater impact with and for you in the future as a result.

I am nearing three years since my retirement from PwC, and I am so incredibly fortunate to have had the foundation as an Accounting major at Miami University, which created the platform for my career success that allows me to pay it forward, or, in the case of this special weekend, to play it forward – for love and honor!