Category: News

Dr. Jorge Romero has been with the accounting department at the College of Business and Economics at Towson University since 2008. During this time, he has taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate classes, as well as undertaking some exciting research projects. I had the chance to speak with Dr. Romero and was able to gain some valuable insight into his career, the world of accounting, and what it is like to be a professor at Towson University.

When asked about all the degree programs he has completed, Dr. Romero stated “I enjoyed all my degree programs. Each program was unique and valuable”. Dr. Romero gained his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru. He went on get both his MBA and Ph.D. in Management Science with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Texas in Dallas, supervised by Dr. Rajiv D. Banker, who Dr.Romero describes as one of the most influential researchers in business. On top of his impressive academic career, Dr. Romero also has experience working for HSBC Bank in its main headquarters in Chicago. Here he was part of a research team working in data analytics – very crucial for the world of business and accounting!

Having been with Towson University for 14 years, Dr. Romero knows a thing or two about being a professor at the university. “It is a great environment, and I have a chance to interact with a diverse set of students and faculty” is the first thing Dr. Romero says when asked his favorite thing about teaching at here. He goes on to say “I have very positive experiences with my students every semester. They’re excited about accounting, data analytics, and learning in general. They’re fun and energetic, and it’s great being around them. I also like to share with them the link between my research and the topics that we cover in class, I strive to integrate my experience in research and industry to provide real-life applications for students, and I like them to see practical applications of accounting concepts in the real world”.

We went on to discuss his research interests, where Dr. Romero stated that his extensive background in cost accounting, managerial accounting, data analytics, and the use of market measures of firm performance in a broad range of contexts, including research, teaching, and industry has allowed him to contribute some valuable research to the industry. His work has been published in leading accounting journals. When asked more specifically about his previous and current research topics, Dr. Romero said “because of my solid background in mathematics and statistics, my research expertise focuses on empirical accounting work. I work on different research projects with co-authors from different universities all over the world, as well as from Towson University. Currently, I am working with Dr. Rajiv
Banker on several empirical accounting research projects”.

Dr. Romero was also made the Editor of the Advances in Public Interest Journal in January 2022. He explained that “the Journal is abstracted, indexed, and ranked in several international databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, SCImago Journal Rank (SJR), and the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC), among others.”. The Advances in Public Interest Journal has been published regularly since 1986 by the UK-based Emerald Group Publishing, one of the largest publishers of academic material. Dr. Romero described his experience as an editor thus far by saying “being an editor is very rewarding; I get to interact with Editorial Members, Associate Editors, Reviewers, and Authors. It also pushes me to be well-informed about relevant technological advances in publishing and disseminating research. Currently, I am working on expanding the pool of authors to American, Asian, and Australian researchers interested in submitting papers to the Journal through my network of contacts. The target of the Journal is to create awareness of different issues of public interest and reach a higher ranking in the different international rankings and databases”. He added “current strengths of Advances in Public Interest Accounting include a solid reputation for providing original contributions that add to the understanding of public interest that impact businesses, regulators, governments, and government
bodies; a reasonable level of diversity of topics; and its association with Emerald, an established leader
in publishing”.

It is often interesting to look at business, and its related subjects, from the perspective that they can bring good to the world, rather than being very heavily ‘corporate’. In reference to his Editorship of an academic journal about such a topic, I asked Dr. Romero how he thought accounting can promote the public good. He informed me that the Journal focusses on promoting the public good through its social impact on climate action and sustainability. He stated “the central mission of the Journal is to provide essential reading for those who need to stay informed about issues related to public interest around the world. The Journal plays a critical role in providing a forum where innovative and leading research is given open-minded consideration based on scientific merit. Advances in Public Interest Accounting aims to provide a forum for researchers concerned with critically appraising and significantly transforming conventional accounting theory, practice, teaching, and research”.

Finally, we discussed up-and-coming research in the accounting field. There is currently a new trend in empirical accounting where data analytics tools are being used to deepen the research understanding of different accounting issues in the field. Dr. Romero gave the following example: “For instance, currently Python is being used, which is a textual analysis tool that I am using to extract textual sentiments to analyze how companies write their annual reports, focusing on the sentiments and tones included in the text and how that affects the future performance of the company.”

In his spare time, Dr. Romero likes to spend time with his family, enjoy the outdoors and watch movies. He is also an avid swimmer, and says it is a great source for relaxation. With such a busy schedule, it’s no surprise that Dr. Romero needs time to wind down! We’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Romero on behalf of Towson University’s College of Business and Economics for his Journal Editorship and thank him for his contributions to the Towson University Accounting Department.

Written by: Elizabeth Higgins

Raquel Tennant, a 2019 graduate of the College of Business and Economics, always had a knack for finance. Tennant always was making lists for her spendings and math came easy to her. Despite this, Tennant did not like the abstract nature of the subject and wanted something that could be applied to everyday people. When she found financial planning being offered in CBE in the Business Administration major, Tennant says the option “ made it real for me”. 

Tennant, a first generation American, felt as if people were being left out in the overall financial field. An everyday person may not have the funds or understanding to invest their money right away, and Tennant found that financial planning was more inclusive to everyday people and lifestyles. Tennant also loved the comprehensiveness of financial planning, and how a CFP has knowledge on and is able to help their clientele’s entire life. 

With financial planning, Tenant was able to learn a skill that “not only helps other people but helps myself”. 

Tennant also shares that financial planning, with its rigorous requirements and testing procedures, is what she sees as “the gold standard of finance”. Tennant feels distinguished knowing she was able to make it through the qualifications that make her “the real deal” while also having a comprehensive understanding of finance that allows her to speak on many parts of the industry. 

Tennant enthusiastically shared her appreciation for her time at Towson University and how it has benefitted her in her career. One major part of her career that she feels CBE prepared her for was the art of networking. By attending networking events put on as part of her classes, she was able to find internships that matched her career interests. Tennant shares that while she was anxious about where she would go in her career, she would have been even more anxious without the opportunity to network during her time in CBE. Tennant was even able to get her first job after graduation through the College of Business and Economics. 

Tennant remarks that “the jobs we want aren’t on Indeed, they are word of mouth”. 

The financial planning program, as Tennant explains, was also helpful in giving her the needed technical skills for her CFP exam. Her prep course for the exam felt like a review of what she had already learned in her classes beforehand. By having two steps done in one at CBE – her degree and her financial planning courses – Tennant was ahead of her peers who were taking separate courses for financial planning. 

During her time in CBE, Tennant was a part of the creation of the Women in Finance club. This club was created to give a space to women in her primarily male dominated classes. Tennant explains that the idea for the Women in Finance club was sparked by the Finance club, and she wanted a place for women to call their own that would show that they are “by no means timid”. The group was created for women who love what they do and to build a sense of community. Tennant shares that the club shows other women in the field that they are not climbing the uphill battle alone and that they have a community of people there for them. The Women in Finance club is still a strong part of CBE thanks to Tennant’s hard work and perseverance to help in creating a space for women to achieve their goals. 

Being in a field dominated by predominantly older white men, Tennant was concerned about the opportunities she would get in the professional field. Tennant felt that in her past, her talents may have been overlooked for those who meet the more common profile of a financial planner. Despite this, Tennant continued to persevere and reach her professional goals. Instead of backing down, Tennant saw this as a positive challenge to better the industry. Tennant expresses the importance of diversity, as diversity brings a variety of unique lived experiences to a company that is important in making changes. 

For Tennant, it is important that the field is becoming inclusive on both the professional and the client sides. Throughout her career, Tennant places a great emphasis on helping minority groups who may not be fairly represented in the financial planning field. In 2021, only 1.8 percent of CFP professionals were Black, even after growing 10 percent from the previous year; and even at an all time high, only 23.4 percent of CFP professionals are women. As Tennant explains, non-traditionally served groups in the financial planning field are going to want to see themselves reflected in the CFP professionals in the field. When going for financial help as a non-traditionally served group, as Tennant explains, there can be shame in asking for help and not previously knowing anything about financial planning. But with women empowering other women and young people empowering other young people, there is less pressure and shame in the experience. Having more diversity, Tennant says, also allows for culturally sensitive values to take a bigger place in the financial planning process. 

Tennant expresses that we must “be the change we want to see”. 

Currently, Tennant is working with a completely virtual women-led firm. Being a part of a field dominated heavily by men, Tennant wanted to place emphasis on helping her own community and generation. Tennant’s goal is to help people who aren’t normally prioritized in her field, and has created a lower barrier of entry to do so. By talking to her clients and learning their history, Tennant is able to create a plan fit for her clients that is reviewed based on their life changes. A highlight of this, Tennant shares, is being able to work with her young clients through major life milestones such as marriage and children, which isn’t always seen in the average clientele of a financial planner.  

Tennant is also a big advocate for not only helping her clients with her skills, but educating them as well. By not only telling them the answers of their questions, but also explaining why, Tennant is able to share valuable information with clients who may not have been able to access this information before. Tennant shares that it’s very empowering to share her knowledge with demographics who traditionally left out of the field, as it allows for more people to become aware of their own finances. 

“Everyone is just trying to figure it out,” says Tennant. By taking away the shame of not having this knowledge beforehand, Tennant is able to better help her clientele while also giving them important financial information. 

When sharing advice with current students, Tennant would like to share with women considering the financial planning field that  “who you are is your superpower, don’t try so hard to conform to what you think is the status quo. What you’ve gone through is going to make you a great financial advisor”. Tennant states that being who you are will allow for the people you are working with to naturally open up and connect with you. Tennant also wants to share to “know your why, and do your research” when it comes to considering financial planning as a career path. Tennant urges people to look into the field, and by understanding what it takes may intrigue people into joining the field. Knowing why you want to go into the field will also narrow down where you want to work in the industry, she explains. 

“We are a special field and that is really cool,” says Tennant.