“I really liked the thought of attending Quinnipiac when I was younger,” Bologna said. “In middle school, I had to do a project on where we see ourselves going to college and what our careers would look like. I know back then; it was young to be focusing on that but I’m glad my teachers assigned us a career roadmap. By researching a degree in accounting, I stumbled upon Quinnipiac and I really liked their 3+1 program. It looked like a fit academically and the campus is so pretty while also being close to home.”

After joining Bobcat Nation, Bologna enjoyed the 3+1 accelerated dual-degree program as it made her schedule feel more structured. She didn’t have an overwhelming amount of free time but enough for her to participate in what she enjoyed most such as joining Tri Delta where she became the director of member finances, collaborating with the head of finance within the chapter and ensuring dues were paid on time.

“I enjoyed joining Greek life and would definitely recommend it to others!” Bologna exclaimed. “It is a great way to get involved on campus, a great resume builder and helps develop leadership skills. By joining Tri Delta, I have also made some lifelong friends.”

She always wanted to be an accountant and was a math expert prior to college. Bologna enjoys problem-solving and finds it to be rewarding when numbers balance correctly. Along her journey she has met many mentors and is very grateful to Professor Maron, who guides the volunteer income tax assistance program (VITA) at Quinnipiac.

Bologna has volunteered at VITA for the past 2 years. This past April for the 2022 tax season, VITA assisted 189 taxpayers in preparing close to 400 Federal and State tax returns, a 25% increase of tax returns prepared compared to last year. In total, VITA taxpayers saved roughly $62,000 in tax preparation fees.

“I’m glad I was able to experience this opportunity and helped out many Hamden residents who could have gone anywhere else to pay an average of $200 to file their tax return when many students who participate in this program help for free,” Bologna said.

By carrying the knowledge Bologna has learned in and outside of the classroom, this summer she will be working as a tax intern for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) in Long Island. Her main goal during her graduate year at Quinnipiac is to primarily focus on her academics but after she completes her masters in 2024, she strives to study and take her CPA exam.

“I honestly loved all my classes at Quinnipiac and think I had great professors throughout,” Bologna said. “I have learned a lot along the way and for incoming freshmen, I would tell them to put themselves out there. You’ll gain a relationship with your professors to write you letters of recommendation, get involved in clubs to meet friends, and will make long-lasting memories that will carry with you through life.”