By Amy Sullivan

While the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting is not yet officially recognized as a Northeastern student group, several of its members feel it is already well on its way to becoming an influential and beneficial part of the university’s community.

NUALPFA, whose mission is “to be the leading Latino professional association dedicated to enhancing opportunities for CPAs, accountants, finance and related professionals and students, while expanding Latino leadership in the global workforce” is hoping to be recognized by the university soon. Members of the fledgling group hope that their official recognition on campus will come after a meeting this Friday with the Student Government Association.

The group held an informational meeting Monday featuring several speakers from other area chapters. Juan Carlos Morales, the ALPFA regional director of the northeast region and the senior vice president at Fleet Boston Financial, has high hopes for the group at NU.

“Northeastern has the ability to take this to the next level and reach powerhouse status. There is a tremendous need in the marketplace for people like you,” Morales said to students at the meeting. “But what you need is access. We provide those mentoring relationships that will help you develop a plan.”

John Micalizzi, the recruiting manager at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, a corporation actively involved in the ALPFA organization, also encouraged students to become involved with the group.

“Through that involvement, you’re going to meet your peers, and a number of professionals who will give you some great advice,” Micalizzi said. “I encourage participation at the student and professional level because it is about networking.”

Micalizzi said his company hires about 300 students from the northeast region every year.

“We are looking for diverse, bright and energetic people. That’s what makes an organization full,” he said, adding that the ALPFA organization was a great way for him to make contacts with real world professionals when he was younger.

The group’s faculty advisor, Annarita DiCenso, Northeastern’s director of MS Taxation and MS Accounting Programs, said it is the student leaders who have really made a Northeastern chapter of the group possible.

“They’re the most dedicated and enthusiastic people I have ever met. They are dedicated to this organization and we couldn’t have pulled it off without them,” DiCenso said of NU ALPFA’s president, freshman Jose De La Rosa, and vice president, junior Dyanne Robles.

De La Rosa says he hopes that the Northeastern chapter of the organization will, “unite not just business students, but students from lots of professions. There are openings for all sorts of fields. But essentially, we want to unite through networking and really benefit the Northeastern community.”

“We want to be as known as every other organization at Northeastern is. We want to grow fast,” Robles said.

The ALPFA organization, originally called the American Association of Hispanic Certified Public Accountants, was established in 1972 as the first Hispanic professional association in the United States.

In 2001, the group changed its name “in order to open opportunities to current CPAs, undergraduate and graduate students to enhance professional capabilities while supporting the development and expansion of the nation’s professional workforce.”

The Northeastern chapter of ALPFA hopes to join many other chapters already established throughout the country. The group hopes to open co-op opportunities with some of the region’s ALPFA employers, including Fleet, KPMG, Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Staples and to “provide Hispanic professionals with resources to develop appropriate communication, technical and social skills needed in their professions to be successful.”

The group will also participate in local community service projects and plans to attend an annual case competition. The ALPFA organization also offers many scholarships for future Hispanic professionals.

The Northeastern chapter of ALPFA can be contacted at [email protected].