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Since he started as an O’Pake Fellow during his first year at 911������, Anthony Florkowski ’25, MBA ’27 says his communication and project management skills have made a 180-degree change for the better, setting him up for success in the work-a-day world.

“I’m challenged every day,” said the accounting graduate from Downingtown who is pursuing his MBA at Alvernia and is a graduate assistant in finance with the O’Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship. “I’ve developed professionally profoundly. I’ve become a lot better leader.”

Florkowski credits O’Pake and its many experiential learning opportunities, including currently overseeing a dozen undergraduate fellows plus high school interns, with bolstering his skill set and helping him put into practice what he learns in the classroom.

"My studies are directly fueling the work I do for clients and with fellows, especially in understanding market trends and organizational growth,” he said. “Recently, I have been helping local businesses scale through systems integration, including streamlining inventory and providing manufacturing cost analyses for products.”

Florkowski almost didn’t consider accounting. In his senior year at Downingtown West High School, he needed one more class to graduate. Florkowski looked at the A’s in a course list and settled on intro to accounting.

“I loved that class,” he said. “What I liked about it most is that it was simple math, but there’s a theory to the numbers. Accounting is the language of business. If you understand accounting, you understand everything else.”

At Alvernia, which he chose in part for its ice hockey club team, Florkowski continued to excel, capturing the top honor for accounting at graduation and logging some 500 consulting hours through O’Pake projects.

“It's teaching me what a real job is like,” said Florkowki. “It's exposing me to some scenarios that you typically don't get if you're just in class. I like to think of O’Pake as a place with padded walls, where if you make a mistake, it won't hurt too much. It's great preparation for going into the real world.”

The , a school for children and adults with special needs, was a favorite, said Florkowski, who helped set up QuickBooks for the Special Blends Café, which the center hopes to open in late 2026 in Alvernia’s new American House at Reading CollegeTowne.

Florkowski has earned three certifications in QuickBooks, so he was perfect for the job.

“They have a great business office there, so I was able to talk to them and see where they might need help, and give them some tips and tricks,” he said. “Going to meetings there is amazing. They always take me on a tour, and I get to go see the kids. It's always a heartwarming time. One of the favorite projects I've done.”

Florkowski wants to explore a career in accounting or commercial banking following graduation. He will enter the job market brimming with confidence garnered from years of working with clients.

"One of the most rewarding aspects of our work at O'Pake is seeing our graduate students apply their expertise to make a lasting difference in the community,” said John Stetler, M.S., O’Pake’s executive director of client and financial services. “Anthony's hands-on support, from configuring QuickBooks Online and designing the chart of accounts to training staff and providing ongoing guidance, has helped equip Special Blends Café with the tools needed for long-term success."

- By Lini S. Kadaba