From an early age, Daniel Neiterman faced immense pressure to succeed. As a young child, he and his family immigrated to Canada in pursuit of a better life. Recognizing the sacrifices made, Neiterman, the eldest of five, says, “My family’s stories instilled in me a deep sense of responsibility to use the opportunities I was given.”
This June, he exceeds his own expectations.
Graduating with the William C. Winegard Medal – the University of Guelph’s most prestigious convocation award for an undergraduate student – Neiterman has achieved extraordinary accomplishments in just five years.
Top of his class in the Lang School of Business and Economics. A 94% GPA maintained amid hundreds of volunteer hours. Co-founder of a start-up he developed at U of G. Co-president of the Accounting Students’ Association (ASA) and three-time elected representative for the Lang School of Business on the Central Student Association (CSA).
All in all, an “academic varsity star,” says Prof. Nicole McCallum, who teaches in the Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies at Lang.
“Daniel consistently leads in ways that elevate others, and he does so with authenticity,” McCallum says.
“I’m really thankful for the faculty at Lang,” Neiterman adds. “They’ve always been supportive and willing to help whenever I needed anything. They root for their students.”
Daniel Neiterman with Dr. Sara Mann as he earns Dean’s Scholarship Award; Dr. Philippe Lassou and Neiterman travel to African Accounting and Finance Conference in Cairo, Egypt
U of G student thrives in Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting
Neiterman decided on U of G when he was awarded its most prestigious entrance award, the President’s Scholarship, one of more than 12 competitive scholarships he would earn during his studies.
Early in his undergraduate career, he realized that the accounting aspect of his Bachelor of Commerce degree, designed to prepare students for the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation, could be used for social good.
He teases: “When people think of accounting, nobody says, ‘Oh, accounting is what drives positive change in the community.’”
But he found ways to do so. His co-op landed him in some of Canada’s top firms, learning tax strategy and how to prepare personal and corporate tax returns. At the Lang Tax Clinic, he would use this knowledge to give back, helping file tax returns for low-income families and international students for free.
In his second year, Neiterman joined Dr. Philippe Lassou, Lang accounting professor, on a research project that took them to Cairo, Egypt, where he presented their findings on anti-corruption agencies in Africa at the African Accounting and Finance Conference. Neiterman then went on to co-author a book chapter with Lassou in the Research Handbook on Accounting and Ethics.
“That was the first time I understood that accounting can play a role in fighting corruption and advancing standards,” he says.
U of G incubator program brings student’s business to life
These experiences would be a training ground for launching his business: Split the Tank, a start-up he co-founded with his friend and fellow Lang student Jake Wisniewski.
The idea was simple – a carpool app that tracks distance and allows users to split the ridesharing costs with ease.
But both founders saw something bigger: a sustainable business that could build community and cut CO2 emissions.
“We had an idea, but thought, ‘How do we actually create this? Who do we go to?’”
The pair went to the John F. Wood Centre’s Hub Incubator, a specialized U of G program that supports student entrepreneurs in developing their early-stage venture ideas.
There, Neiterman and Wisniewski learned how to bring their business to life, with mentorship, networking opportunities and guidance to support their vision.
“They pointed us in the right direction, how to find people who could help us develop the app, and they helped us understand how to make our idea into a real business.”
The start-up quickly earned acclaim. It was accepted into EY’s competitive Ripples program, a program connecting consultants with ventures aimed at positively impacting society to further improve and develop their organizations.
From winning several business pitch competitions to co-leading a UofG TEDx talk, Neiterman says, “So many of those personal and business skills we learned are highly transferable to whatever we pursue next.”
U of G debate team marks rewarding moment
By his final year, Neiterman was no longer just participating in campus life; he was shaping it, with leadership positions in ASA and CSA. But it was his time on the Lang debate team he treasures the most.
He remembers waking up at 6 a.m. every Saturday, putting on a suit and heading off to train with Lang’s team, which competes in one of the largest undergraduate case competitions in Canada, JDC Central.
The stakes were high; the team had earlier made it to the finals only to lose to another rival university.
Neiterman remembers his competitors saying: “You guys are coming here just to get beaten by us again.”
But in his third and final year of competing on the team, everything came together, and his words and arguments flowed seamlessly onstage.
Not only did the debate team place first in their category – for the first time in U of G’s history – but Neiterman was awarded “Top Speaker,” among more than 40 debaters.
“It was the most rewarding moment of my time at university,” he says. “Getting to end it on that note – on a win, with my teammates and that recognition – meant the world.”
As he completes his Master’s in Professional Accounting at U of G, his next stop is an accounting firm in Toronto. Then, perhaps, law school.
But Neiterman doesn’t linger on the wins. It’s the small moments – the countless volunteer hours, the community built through collaboration, the drive to honour his family’s sacrifices – that motivate him.
“I’ve always appreciated the opportunities I’ve had in Canada and at U of G,” he says. “I just try to make the most of them – to take control of my future and try to do good in my community, one person at a time.”
Discover more about the inspiring journeys of our graduates and how the University of Guelph shaped their paths