Adjunct Professor of Accounting Elizabeth Cortés Pérez Reflects on the Spanish BBA

One year into her role at Empire State University, Elizabeth Cortés Pérez, adjunct professor of accounting, reflects on her involvement with the Spanish BBA program. A Puerto Rico native and current resident, Cortés Pérez holds a doctorate in finance and teaches that subject matter along with accounting, and management. She has taught at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo, and brings that experience with her to SUNY Empire.

A lifelong Spanish and English speaker, Cortés Pérez considers learning more than one language “a great opportunity to meet and communicate with people from different countries.”

Since her student days, Cortés Pérez has always found herself drawn to numbers. Analyzing them is something she always felt passionate about, and she went on to dedicate her academic career to doing so. “I also love the challenge of identifying discrepancies or differences in accounts,” says Cortés Pérez, showing a true aptitude for her field.

Eventually, she pursued a career in education. “The art of teaching is a great challenge, and I am passionate about having the opportunity to impact lives,” she says. The Spanish BBA, which has been designed to boost economic mobility in Hispanic communities of New York and beyond, aligns with Cortés Pérez’s desire to help students transform their lives through learning.

“Knowledge is power and will contribute to your professional development,” are her words of encouragement to prospective students who are on the fence about pursing their BBA in Spanish. She sees the program as a great opportunity for Hispanic degree-seekers, and believes in its capacity to impact communities. “Take advantage of the opportunity,” Cortés Pérez counsels.

“Accounting in Puerto Rico is governed by the same principles and regulations that govern accounting in the United States,” she explains, noting that her expertise, in a way, encompasses both American and Hispanic standards. Her perspective as an educator in the Spanish BBA is shaped by the island’s political and economic context as a United States territory. While it shares certain regulations and practices with the national umbrella it falls under, it is wholly distinct in terms of culture and customs.

Upon graduating, “Students may have the opportunity to work in any administrative area of a company, as the curriculum of the Spanish BBA includes courses that allow them to train in different aspects and areas of administration,” explains Cortés Pérez. She sees obtaining a degree via this program as a versatile asset for students seeking to explore which facet of business administration they are best suited to. A degree from the United States, particularly one that can be earned with flexibility, and that accommodates the native language of Hispanic students, is well worth considering.