Name: Patrick Douglas
Class Year: Junior
Major: Accounting C.P.A.
Patrick Douglas (’15) is currently the Comptroller of the SU Student Association. This position allows him to have control over the distrobution of the 4 million dollar student activity fund to the registered student organizations on campus. Â The student organizations then use this money to hold events on campus like concerts (Mayfest/Juice Jam), parties, speaker events, community service events, and banquets. Some of the funding also goes toward the operating budgets of WERW radio station, Student Legal Services, and Citrus TV. Â
Patrick tells us that his inspiration comes from his mother, Ethlyn White-Douglas.  He said, “She has sacrificed so much to get me to this point in my life, and I just want to continue to make her proud.”Â
In his spare time, Patrick likes to play soccer. “The club team I played for in high school was one of the best teams in the country, and I had opportunities to play Division I soccer in college but turned down those schools to attend SU and focus on academics.”Â
Read on to learn more about Patrick! Â
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Are you ever overwhelmed by the responsibility that comes along with the comptroller position?
I would not say that I am overwhelmed, but the position does require a lot of time, and mental fortitude. Every day I have numerous emails to respond to, and even on my way to classes I get stopped to answer budget questions. I just had to realize that this position is about more than just me, it’s about the 14,000+ students that attend SU and expect to see their student activity fee put to good use.
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If you were giving advice to a younger student who was interested in this position, what would you tell them?
I would tell them to join the Student Association Finance Board to get a feel for how the allocation process for what the student activity is.
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What other organizations are you involved in on campus? Â And what is the best part of being involved with them?
I am a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc, Theta Xi Chapter. I would say that the best part of being a member is the relationships that I have developed with undergraduate and alumni brothers that have come through the Theta Xi chapter. We are really a big family, and all push each other to be the best we can.
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If you had all of the time in the world, what other major(s) or fields would you be interested in studying?
If I had more time, I would pursue law because it is so intricate and always evolving. The only down side is all the reading of pointless documents that it requires… I am NOT a fan of that part at all. If not law I would study something like psychology or something that delves deeply into the way humans think and operate.
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My wild, out of this world dream job is: to be the CFO of a fortune 250 company!
A more realistic dream job is: to be a partner at one of the Big Four Accounting Firms
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