School of Tax and Accounting Promises 100 Jobs for 100 Students

Amy McLellan, Dean of the Braden School of Taxation and the School of Accounting, first came to GGU in 2019 from the University of Denver College of Law, where she served as visiting associate professor and director of online education. Prior to joining Denver Law, she was a partner in a Massachusetts Law firm and founded her own firm with an expertise in estate, tax, and business planning. 

“Golden Gate University really is a school with a huge heart,” commented Amy. “Everyone works hard to make GGU exceptional for anyone who comes here so that students reach the best place in their education. All the faculty in the tax programs are more than willing to help students. That’s how I’ve approached the job as dean, to take students as they are and get them to where they want to be.” 

In January, the Braden School of Taxation hosted Gateway 2023: GGU’s Annual Tax Expert Update. This year, more than 25,000 tax professionals and firms attended the annual tax conference that featured GGU tax faculty and supporters of the Master of Science in Taxation program. 

“We had a special appearance from Karen Hawkins, a GGU alumna and former faculty member,” said Amy. “She served as the Chair of the American Bar Association Section on Taxation and as the Director of the Internal Revenue Service Office of Professional Responsibility, where she oversaw the standards of practice for tax professionals.” 

Hawkins joined ethics presenter Bryan Skarlatos, a Law Partner at Kostelanetz in NYC at the annual tax expert update. 

The conference also featured Tony Nitti, Adjunct Professor and former Forbes columnist and National Tax Partner, and Kathleen Wright, Director of GGU’s State and Local Tax Program. GGU adjunct faculty Don Rath, Greg Roer, Olena Ruth, and Dan Thompson also presented at the conference. 

Events like the Annual Tax Expert Update serve as valuable community and alumni initiatives, a priority for Amy. 

“Part of reaching out to the community is hosting tax and estate planning events, to share resources with the community and foster an exciting intellectual environment for our students that is also practical,” she said. 

Recently, the Braden School of Tax and GGU’s School of Accounting launched an initiative called the 100 Jobs for 100 Students Program, which promises to find employment for participating students in the fields of tax and accounting. Students in the program receive a generous scholarship and gain superior academic training through GGU’s Tax or Accounting graduate programs. They are guaranteed at least four job interviews and one job offer. Participating employers agree to a starting annual salary of at least $75,000 and commit to hiring a set number of GGU applicants. 

“We have had a healthy amount of interest in the program from people who are considering switching careers and students graduating from college who would be new to the profession,” said Amy. “We have partnered with several Bay Area firms and some national firms to ensure our students have exceptional job offers prior to graduation. “ 

One of those firms, Safe Harbor LLP, an early supporter of the program, hires from GGU, supports their employees in taking tax classes at GGU, and provided a generous donation to a scholarship fund for 100 Jobs Program participants.