During the interview, Owusu spoke about her co-authored study examining how insurers can leverage machine learning tools to better identify patterns, improve oversight processes, and support stronger organizational risk management practices. The discussion highlighted the growing role of emerging technologies in helping insurance companies make more informed decisions surrounding governance and risk culture.

Owusu’s research interests include fintech, corporate governance, machine learning, and risk management, with a particular focus on how data-driven technologies continue reshaping financial and insurance industries. Her feature reflects the Feliciano School of Business’ continued emphasis on innovative research and industry-relevant scholarship that connects business education with rapidly evolving technologies.

Watch the full interview here:

Throughout this year’s tax filing season, 35 Feliciano students worked more than 1,300 hours in preparing and processing tax returns. They demonstrated both technical expertise and a strong commitment to service, assisting members of the local communities of Paterson, Clifton, and Montclair. Working under faculty supervision and after completing IRS certification requirements, students guided taxpayers through the filing process, ensuring accuracy while helping clients understand credits, deductions, and filing options available to them.

The program not only provided meaningful financial support to the community—often helping individuals secure refunds or avoid costly filing fees—but also served as a powerful experiential learning opportunity. Through VITA, students gain hands-on experience while delivering a valuable service, applying classroom knowledge in real-world scenarios and developing essential skills in communication, problem-solving, and ethical decision-making.

This service is available to Montclair students, faculty, staff and members of the University community earning less than $73,000. Your return will be prepared by IRS trained and certified Feliciano students. Please bring your social security card, drivers license or photo I.D., 2025 tax documents and copy of last year’s tax return.

• Wednesday, March 18, 12-4 p.m., SBUS 255
• Saturday, April 11, 12-4 p.m., SBUS 140
• Wednesday, April 15, 12-4 p.m., SBUS 140

The study explores a central question in accounting and auditing: does an auditor’s experience with companies in industries that are economically connected to a client’s industry improve the quality of the audit? While prior research has focused largely on the value of specialization within a single industry, this research expands the conversation by examining how knowledge transfers across industry boundaries and influences professional judgment and outcomes.

Using data from U.S. companies between 2000 and 2019, the research finds that auditors who build experience in industries closely linked through supply chains and economic activity tend to produce higher-quality audits. These auditors are better equipped to understand operational risks, recognize irregular financial patterns, and make more informed assessments about financial reporting. The study shows that companies audited by professionals with broader cross-industry experience exhibit fewer indicators of earnings manipulation, a lower likelihood of financial restatements, and stronger identification of financial distress.

Importantly, the research also highlights a practical benefit for organizations: this broader knowledge base can lead to greater audit efficiency. Auditors who understand related industries can apply prior insights more effectively, reducing the time and effort needed to evaluate complex transactions. As a result, firms often benefit from lower audit fees while still receiving high-quality service.

One of the study’s most compelling contributions is its finding that cross-industry knowledge can, in some cases, substitute for traditional industry specialization. In particular, auditors who are not specialists in a specific industry can still deliver strong audit outcomes if they possess experience in closely related sectors. This insight underscores the growing importance of interdisciplinary knowledge and adaptability in the accounting profession.

As industries become increasingly interconnected through technology and global supply networks, the research offers timely implications for both practitioners and organizations. It suggests that cultivating broader, cross-industry expertise may strengthen audit performance and create value for clients through both improved quality and cost efficiency.

Professor Pinto identified housing, food, insurance, and commuting expenses as the most essential categories to include in any budget. These core costs typically represent the largest and most consistent financial obligations, making them the foundation of responsible financial planning. By ensuring these needs are clearly defined and accounted for, individuals can make more informed decisions about how to allocate remaining income.

To help people better organize their finances, Professor Pinto emphasized the importance of tracking spending before creating a budget. She recommends monitoring expenses for three to six months to gain a realistic understanding of where money is actually going. This process often reveals patterns and hidden costs that people may not initially recognize, making it easier to build a budget that reflects real spending behavior rather than estimates.

She also highlighted a common oversight in personal financial planning: failing to account for contingencies. Unexpected expenses, such as major home repairs or sudden car maintenance, can quickly disrupt even well-planned budgets. Professor Pinto advised setting aside approximately 10% of income to prepare for these situations, helping individuals stay financially resilient when unplanned costs arise.

Drawing from his professional background as an auditor and controller, DeSarno explains how sharing real-world stories and contextual examples helps students move beyond memorization to truly understand how accounting concepts are applied in practice. He argues that while AI can deliver information efficiently, it cannot replicate the perspective, authenticity, and passion that inspire students, strengthen engagement, and make learning meaningful. By connecting course material to real professional scenarios, educators can foster critical thinking and prepare students for the complexities of the workplace.

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Drawing from her expertise in personal finance and consumer decision-making, Pinto emphasized that loud budgeting can be an effective strategy for those living paycheck to paycheck or managing competing financial obligations. She noted that situations such as weddings, travel, and social commitments can quietly strain budgets, especially when expectations escalate. By speaking up and setting clear boundaries, individuals can protect their financial well-being while still maintaining meaningful relationships. Pinto also acknowledged that while the approach may feel uncomfortable at first, individuals are ultimately the most informed about their own financial circumstances.

Her perspective empowers consumers to make thoughtful financial choices while challenging the stigma often associated with saying no for budgetary reasons.

The article examines how the unprecedented shift to remote work during a worldwide crisis affected the auditing profession. By collecting insights from both audit partners and associates, the research explores how remote environments reshaped collaboration, supervision, and professional judgment. The study integrates perspectives from psychology to better understand how auditors adapted under pressure, while also identifying the lasting implications for the future of accounting work.

Professor Appelbaum’s contribution highlights the intersection of technology, human behavior, and audit practice. Her research addresses not only the challenges faced during the sudden transition to remote auditing, such as communication gaps, reduced mentoring opportunities, and work–life balance struggles, but also the potential opportunities including enhanced flexibility and the use of digital tools for efficiency.

By examining these changes, the paper provides valuable recommendations for how firms can evolve audit practices to remain effective and resilient in the face of future disruptions. Professor Appelbaum’s work stands out as an important voice in rethinking how the accounting profession can innovate and adapt in a rapidly changing world.