News Stories

Mark Aquilio (Senior Officer) - I was born and raised in San Bruno, CA, where I attended Capuchino High School before coming to Santa Clara. I decided to come to Santa Clara because of the great reputation the business program had as well as the countless opportunities the location offered. I decided to major in accounting late into my sophomore year after enjoying Accounting 11 and having already enjoyed working with numbers. Outside of SCUAA, I’m involved in the business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi where I'm serving as the current VP of Finance. In summer 2023, I interned at Deloitte’s San Francisco office in audit as a Discovery Intern where I was able to learn more about the day-to-day work of auditors and connect with other professionals. In summer 2024, I returned to Deloitte as an Audit and Assurance Intern where I was able to build upon what I did last summer. In my free time, I enjoy watching sports, exploring new places, and hanging out with friends!

Brendan Arias (Senior Officer) - I am from Chatham, NJ where I attended Chatham High School. I originally chose SCU because of the prospect of combining business and technology into my education, along with the prime location of Silicon Valley. I chose A&IS as my major as it seemed like the perfect combination of my interests. I am involved in the school as a peer educator in the Accounting Department and as the first University's Risk Management Assistant. In summer 2023, I completed an internship at Tandym Group on the internal Finance & Accounting team in the NYC office. In summer 2024, I was a Digital Assurance & Transparency intern at PwC in the NJ office. With SCUAA, I hope to both increase my engagement in the Accounting space and also lead a group of accountants-to-be in the SCU community!

Ingrid Chou (Senior Officer) - I was born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan where I attended an international program at Wego Private Senior High School. I chose to attend SCU primarily because of the strategic location in the midst of Silicon Valley, as well as the prestigious business school. I decided to major in Accounting and Information Systems due to the combination of my interests in data analysis and a promising career path in accounting. After completing ACTG 11 during my sophomore year, the class's clear explanations sparked my interest in the major and made me realize it was the right fit for me. In my leisure time, I am passionate about music, running, and reading novels. I am currently involved in the school as a peer educator within the Accounting Department. In summer 2024 I was an EY Audit Intern.

Maia Murphy (Senior Officer) - I am from Newcastle, Washington and I am an Accounting major with an Entrepreneurship minor. I love playing pickleball, cooking/baking and hanging out with friends! I chose SCU because I wanted a school that had great weather, small class sizes and a reputable business school. I have had a great experience here so far and have especially loved the accounting program. I found a passion for accounting in ACTG 11 when I learned how logical accounting is. I also loved talking to the professionals at the SCUAA's Meet the Firms last year which ultimately helped me decide that accounting is the right major for me! In summer 2023, I interned for Costco's Accounting Department as a corporate tax intern.  In summer 2024, I interned at EY in Seattle as an audit intern.

Jessica Pu (President, Senior Officer) - I was born in Cupertino, California, and had the opportunity to live abroad in Shanghai, China for high school. I chose SCU because of its location near home in Silicon Valley, as well as its well-known business school. Accounting never stood out to me as a possible major until I took ACTG 11 and attended various Accounting Department and SCUAA events, in which the clarity of accounting and endless opportunities in the industry solidified my interest. From there, I wanted to learn more about the industry and get more involved in the department, leading me to join SCUAA. Outside of SCUAA, I enjoy traveling, writing, and snowboarding. I've also been a violist for more than 10 years, both individually and as a member of different ensembles. In summer 2023, I interned at Cedar Fair as an internal auditor, and in summer 2024, I joined PwC in San Jose as an Audit Intern. 

Cassidy Furutani (Junior Officer) - I grew up in Kaneohe, Hawaii and graduated from Moanalua High School. I chose to attend SCU because of the multitude of opportunities that come with living in Silicon Valley and the beautiful weather. After being here for two years, I have also come to appreciate the small class sizes, which allow me to build meaningful relationships with my professors and peers. Before coming to SCU, I thought that I wanted to pursue a career in education. After taking an intro accounting class, I realized that this was the path for me. In the future, I hope to find a way to pursue both my passions for accounting and education. Outside of SCUAA, I am Treasurer of Ka Mana‘o O Hawai‘i and a peer educator in the accounting department. This past summer I interned at KMH LLP, which is a local CPA firm in Hawaii. For summer 2025, I plan on interning at Deloitte in the San Jose audit department. I look forward to learning from these exciting new experiences and meeting new people! 

Fiona Holdaway (Junior Officer) - I grew up in Kenmore, WA, where I attended Inglemoor High School before coming to Santa Clara. I decided to come to Santa Clara because of its close proximity to startups and business ventures. I decided to major in accounting early freshman year so I could apply for internship opportunities but after taking Accounting 11, I was able to solidify my interest since I enjoy rule based work and math. Outside of SCUAA, I’m involved in the professional fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi and am math tutor at the MLC. For summer 2024, I interned at KPMG’s Seattle office as an Embark intern where I am able to learn more about audit, tax, and advisory, as well as networking with other professionals. In fall 2024, I am studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. In my free time, I enjoy playing sports like soccer/volleyball/tennis, exploring new places, and hanging out with friends!

Greg Mackintosh (Junior Officer) - I am from Denver, Colorado, and attended George Washington High School. I chose Santa Clara because I knew that I always wanted to go to school on the west coast. After visiting SCU’s campus I knew it was the place for me. Additionally, the business school’s reputation helped solidify my decision because I was confident it would be able to successfully give me the building blocks for my future. I chose to be an accounting major due to the guidance provided by my Accounting 11 instructor, Professor Stacey Ritter. She, like many other teachers in the accounting department, was incredibly supportive and helpful as I made the important decision for my future. For summer 2025, I am very excited to join Ernst and Young in their Denver office as an audit and assurance intern. In my free time I enjoy to ski, golf, quality time with family and friends, house music, and pickle ball.