Faghya Shafiq (MAcc 2017, BBA 2016) won the Ontario Gold Medal with the top score in the province for the 2017 Common Final Examination (CFE).

The CFE is a nation-wide, rigorous, three-day evaluation that assesses accounting competencies and essential knowledge, as well as professional judgment, accounting ethics and the ability to communicate.

Faghya graduated from the BBA program in 2016 and went on to complete a Master of Accounting the following year. During her time at Schulich, she was a competitor in case competitions such as FOCUS and RISE, before turning her attention to working toward a CPA designation. Writing the Common Final Examination marked an important milestone in her dedicated academic career.

“I want to make a difference in the world, and pursuing this designation has provided me with the skillset to do so.”

The Results Are In

“Initially, my reaction was just that of pure shock,” says Faghya about receiving the CFE results. “Needless to say, I was overjoyed, and the best part of it was being able to tell my family and friends and being able to share this accomplishment with them!”

Faghya currently works as a Staff Accountant at Ernst & Young, where she enjoys challenging herself and growing her skills. “The thing that excites me most about my career path ahead is using this achievement as a baseline for what I can accomplish in the future. I want to be able to make a difference in the world, and pursuing this designation has provided me with a skillset to do so.”

The Sky’s The Limit

When it comes to the future, Faghya’s dreams are big and her mind is open. She fundamentally opposes the view that Accounting has to be a straight, narrow or predictable career path.

“Accounting for me wasn’t a decision I made at a certain point in time,” she says. “It was about building relationships in different industries, and then realizing the benefits of having a designation and a diverse skillset, which this career path provided.”

Faghya says that she is confident in her knowledge and in this exciting industry to “open doors along the way.” She looks forward to building career momentum, and says she hopes to one day focus on “teaching and helping to build better lives for others.”

Join is in congratulating Faghya and wishing her all the best.  View the CFE 2017 Honour Roll here.