When Cari Rabinowitz arrived at New Paltz as a transfer student, she was craving an atmosphere where she would be confronted by different ideas and perspectives.

Two years later, as she prepares to receive her bachelor’s degree in accounting, Cari says New Paltz delivered.

“I wanted my college experience to be complete,” she said. “And I succeeded.”

Cari was recently named the 2007 Student of the Year and joined the prestigious ranks of the New Paltz School of Business Hall of Fame for her work as president of the college’s Accounting and Finance Association and vice president of New Paltz chapter of Phi Eta Sigma honor society.

She also worked with Hadi Salavitabar, dean of the School of Business, as a member of the Dean’s Student Advisory Board. The team of undergraduate and graduate School of Business students acts as a liaison between the school’s student body and the dean to address student concerns.

“The student advisory board is a great platform to make the School of Business better by adding your own ideas,” she said.

Cari says it was rewarding to see her ideas come to life. Some of her ideas include hosting a school social for graduating seniors in the School of Business; creating an Alumni Networking Database; and organizing Get Involved Day, an event for School of Business associations to introduce their programs to students. Cari also worked on school’s CD yearbook and fundraising campaigns for the school’s barbecue.

Getting involved allowed Cari to get to know the people and programs that make up School of Business. She says when she arrived at New Paltz all of her residence hall suitemates were from different majors. Cari says the experiences have also provided her with the opportunities to make a difference at the college and continuously improve.

After graduation, Cari, who would like to become a certified public accountant (CPA), will be preparing for her job in the assurance department of Ernst & Young in New York City, which she will begin in August.