THE ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS
42nd ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2026
brown ballroom | bone student center
CEREMONY PROGRAM
WELCOME
Debbie Seifert
Professor, Department of Accounting
OPENING COMMENTS
Ajay Samant
Dean, College of Business
Bahae Samhan
Interim Chair, Department of Accounting
DINNER
PRESENTATION OF STUDENT AWARDS
Debbie Seifert
Professor, Department of Accounting
ANNUAL AWARDS
ACCOUNTING FIRM DONORS
20th ANNUAL COUNTRY FINANCIAL AWARD
Carter Kapanjie
Jason Zheng
46th ANNUAL
DUNBAR, BREITWEISER & CO., LLP AWARD
David Adamitis
25th ANNUAL FORVIS AWARD
Cordelia Mata
25th ANNUAL MCK MARY ANN WEBB SCHOLARSHIP
Gianna Leigh
17th ANNUAL
MILLER COOPER & COMPANY AWARD
Jack Medlicott
Jacob Tallian
27th ANNUAL PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS AWARD
Iran Velazquez
20th ANNUAL RSM AWARD
Michael Cassidy
Shannon Doyle
Rachel Lechtenberg
Williams Ofori-Nyarko
Taylor Tedford
5th ANNUAL SIKICH LLP ACCOUNTING AND BIS DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP
Mirabella Biage
Tanaya Cummings
Steel Martin
19th ANNUAL
STATE FARM AWARD
Nickolas DiBenedetto
Clayton Eck
Miguel Fonseca
Kyler Klings
Maximus Smits
ANNUAL AWARDS INDIVIDUAL DONORS
2026
DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
David Adamitis
Nick Carpenter
Tanaya Cummings
Shrey Dalal
Aiden De La O
Ethan Gockel
Luke Henkel
Gianna Leigh
Williams Ofori-Nyarko
Dani Grace Schrock
2nd ANNUAL
ANDERSON FAMILY ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Michelle Szczygiel
Tyler Urban
10th ANNUAL
BRADLEY BENSON MEMORIAL
ISACA-ILLINI CHAPTER BIS SCHOLARSHIP
Shuolin Kong
6th ANNUAL
BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS SCHOLARSHIP
Carter Kapanjie
14th ANNUAL
CAROLINE KERN CRAIG
ENDOWED FUND SCHOLARSHIP
Jack Medlicott
Taylor Tedford
18th ANNUAL
DAVID CURRIE CPA SCHOLARSHIP
Jacob Tallian
6th ANNUAL
BRAD DAWSON MEMORIAL FUND SCHOLARSHIP
Abigail Schniederjan
10th ANNUAL
DUANE AND DIANA DEBS SCHOLARSHIP
Carter Andrews
Jessica Jarosik
Abigail Schniederjan
1st ANNUAL
DIVERSITY EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIP
Sydnee Estremera
15th ANNUAL
EOVALDI FAMILY ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Mirabella Biage
Ava Carlson
Samantha Chopp
Jack Gockel
Theresia Mbeta
Jade Schierer
Michelle Szczygiel
Ryan Wagner
10th ANNUAL
MIKE AND KAREN ESSINGTON BIS SCHOLARSHIP
Carter Kapanjie
8th ANNUAL JACALYN FERREE
ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN ACCOUNTING
Hadley McClallen
2nd ANNUAL
GARY L. FISH ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Jason Zheng
15th ANNUAL
FLESSNER FAMILY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
HONORING DR. GERRY MCKEAN
Casey Judge
Carter Kapanjie
Shuolin Kong
Bailey Renfro
Raegan Webb
6th ANNUAL
FOLTZ FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
Madison Fowler
Saime Keser
Jack Priller
Carl Whitaker
1st ANNUAL
KEITH AND DEBRA FRIEDLEIN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
Allysah Martin
5th ANNUAL
MARY GRAFFY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Madison Maeder
37th ANNUAL
ACCOUNTING ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
JAMES A. HALLAM SCHOLARSHIP
Gwyneth Hale
9th ANNUAL
JIM & JEANETTE HALLAM
CPA CANDIDATE SCHOLARSHIP
Shrey Dalal
5th ANNUAL
DOUGLAS W. HART ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Carter Andrews
Andrew Conforti
4th ANNUAL
HOWLEY FAMILY ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Joel Cundiff
6th ANNUAL
INDUSTRIAL ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Gwyneth Hale
12th ANNUAL
LAFRENCE FAMILY ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Clayton Eck
Nitin Sharma
1st ANNUAL
JUI-YUAN WILLIAM LIN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
Francis Annin
2nd ANNUAL
DEBORAH L. LINDBERG ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Logan Dudley
9th ANNUAL
MCMULLEN FAMILY
FIRST GENERATION STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
Miguel Fonseca
7th ANNUAL
ERIC MICKEL SCHOLARSHIP FOR ACCOUNTING
Nitin Sharma
1st ANNUAL
JOYCE OSTROSKY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
Shane Hosty
7th ANNUAL
JOHN AND KATHY RENNICK SCHOLARSHIP
Pierre Nickles
29th ANNUAL
W. MAX REXROAD SCHOLARSHIP
Daniel Asante
Eric Ati
Andrew Conforti
Madison Fowler
Jacob Lundstrom
Andy Nguyen
Ariel Pomierski
18th ANNUAL
JAMES H. SCHLESSER ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
Madison Maeder
Tyler Urban
1st ANNUAL
EDWARD M. SEIPP ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
Brooke Haggerty
22nd ANNUAL
HERBERT C. SIEG ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
Evan Capps
Kyler Klings
Cordelia Mata
Jack Priller
Lincoln Steidinger
Mackenzie Wand
5th ANNUAL
KELLEY AND JAMES SMITH ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Iran Velazquez
28th ANNUAL
NIMS ASSOCIATES
BILL SPANIOL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Joshua Baysore
Shuolin Kong
2026
WILLIAM TOWNES MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Williams Ofori-Nyarko
1st ANNUAL
UNDERGRADUATE EXCELLENCE IN ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Jillian Burkhart
Tanaya Cummings
5th ANNUAL
VANDERMYDE FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
Michael Koczwara
Dani Grace Schrock
19th ANNUAL
KATE KING WU & HORACE C. WU SCHOLARSHIP
Naomi Aalsma
Shannon Doyle
Steel Martin
Jason Zheng
10th ANNUAL
ZARCONE FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
Jillian Burkhart
Samantha Chopp
Shrey Dalal
Brooke Haggerty
Luke Henkel
Saime Keser
ANNUAL AWARDS PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
23rd ANNUAL BECKER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP
Andy Nguyen
Ariel Pomierski
4th ANNUAL
DR. THOMAS SECOY CPA EXAM SCHOLARSHIP
Rylee Green
Abigail Schniederjan
13th ANNUAL
STEVE MICHELS CPA REVIEW COURSE SCHOLARSHIP
Lexi Deluna
Jack Priller
2026
INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS CMA PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP
Ishmael Ayettey
Henry Bruce
OUTSTANDING STUDENT AWARDS
2026
BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS ALUMNI OUTSTANDING UNDERGRADUATE
BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS STUDENT AWARD
Brandon Rouse-Valadez
2026
MARCOTTE FAMILY OUTSTANDING UNDERGRADUATE ACCOUNTING STUDENT AWARD
Dani Grace Schrock
2026
MARCOTTE FAMILY OUTSTANDING MASTER OF PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANCY AWARD
Naomi Aalsma
2026
MARCOTTE FAMILY OUTSTANDING MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ACCOUNTANCY AWARD
Daniel Asante
Eric Ati
MULTI-YEAR AWARDS
GARY AND HELEN ANETSBERGER SCHOLARSHIP
Adrian Garcia
Saime Keser
Avril Ruiz
WILLIAM A. FORTSCH ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Miguel Ayala
Allyson Ford
Zofia Marusarz
Colin Wasserman
SEARS ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
Steel Martin
2026 AWARD RECIPIENT STUDENT BIOGRAPHIES
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NAOMI AALSMA is a graduate student pursuing her master’s in accounting. After graduating in the spring, she will continue studying for and sitting for her CPA certification throughout the spring and summer of 2026. Following graduation, Naomi will join RSM in Madison, WI, as a full-time Assurance Associate beginning in October 2026. Naomi serves as co-president of the Beta Alpha Psi, Kappa Delta Chapter, and is an active member of Beta Gamma Sigma. She also works as a Budget Assistant for the School of Teaching and Learning, participates in intramural sports, and volunteers in the athletic department at Eastview Christian Church whenever she can.
DAVID ADAMITIS is a senior and is currently enrolled in the BS/MPA Professional Accountancy Sequence. He is an active member of Sigma Pi Fraternity and in his Boy Scout Troop 237 based out of Frankfort, Illinois. His proudest achievement is achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in September of 2021.
CARTER ANDREWS is graduate student in the BS/MPA program for Professional Accountancy. He is currently serving as an audit intern with Sikich CPA, LLC, who he’ll have been with the past three spring semesters. Carter also works in ground maintenance at Crestwicke Country Club during the time’s he’s not interning. He plans to sit for his first section of the CPA Exam in March 2026.
FRANCIS ANNIN is a graduate student in accounting. My journey in accounting is a story of purposeful transition, from building a foundation in Ghana to pursuing advanced expertise in the United States. Francis is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) and a student member of the Illinois Certified Public Accountants and AICPA. Francis’s goal is to become a CPA within a major public accounting firm, where I can leverage my cross-cultural experience and technical skills in data analytics to enhance audit quality and financial understanding.
DANIEL ASANTE is an MSA student. He has passed three sections of the Uniform CPA exams and seeks to complete the CPA program in Spring 2026. He is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society and National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), and an active participant of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Daniel looks forward to starting a full-time permanent role as a Tax Auditor at California’s Franchise Tax Board in Spring of 2026.
ERIC ATI is a Master of Science in accounting student. He serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Department of Accounting and currently Marketing Chair for the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA). He is also a Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA). He has passed two of the CPA papers and looks forward to completing the rest in May 2026. Previously, he worked as an Audit Associate at KPMG Ghana. Passionate about leadership and community service, he has held various executive roles, including President of the Accounting Students Association. He looks forward to leveraging his expertise in Audit and accounting technology while he plans to sit for the CPA exam in spring of 2026.
MIGUEL AYALA is completing his last semester as a graduate student pursuing a Master of Professional Accountancy. He has completed four internships at Ernst & Young and will begin his career at Ernst & Young following graduation. He is an active member of Delta Sigma Pi and a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. Miguel is currently studying for the CPA Exam and plans to sit for the FAR section this spring.
ISHMAEL AYETTEY is in his final year as an MBA student specializing in business analytics with an expected graduation in May 2026. He currently serves as a Student Technology Solutions Specialist with the Office of Technology Solutions, where he provides critical IT support to faculty and staff. In addition to his technical role, Ishmael serves as an IRS VITA volunteer tax preparer, providing essential tax services to families in need. As an active member of the National Black MBA Association, he is concurrently pursuing his CMA credentials. As a CMA Scholarship recipient, Ishmael is dedicated to integrating technology and finance to drive value in strategy consulting and looks forward to leveraging his expertise in data-driven decisionmaking to solve complex business challenges.
JOSH BAYSORE is a second semester graduate student in the AIS (Accountancy Information Systems) program. He transferred to ISU at the start of his junior year and has since graduated with a bachelor’s in business information systems. He is also the former President of the BIS Club and participated in the Innovation Consulting Community project at ISU hosted by Dr. Kaufman during his senior year. He currently works full-time at the Technology Support Center in Julian Hall while completing his graduate coursework.
MIRABELLA BIAGE is a senior honors student within the BS/MPA program. She is an active member of Women in Business. Mirabella has secured a tax internship with CliftonLarsonAllen for Spring 2027. She previously completed an Internal Operations internship with CliftonLarsonAllen in Spring of 2025. She is planning to sit provisionally for the CPA Exam in the Spring of 2027.
HENRY BRUCE is an MBA student graduating in the spring of 2026. He currently serves as the graduate assistant in the Office of Residential Life as the Business Operations GA. Planning on gaining employment in a top consulting form like Deloitte, KMPG after graduation.
JILLIAN BURKHART is a junior majoring in accounting at Illinois State University. She is an active member of the Student Accounting Society and the Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance on campus. Jillian is currently volunteering as a certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistant preparer to serve lowerincome families in her community. She looks forward to completing an audit internship with Forvis Mazars in Spring 2027 and continues to prepare to be CPA eligible in May 2028.
COLLIN CALDWELL is a sophomore studying accounting at Illinois State University. He is currently an active member of Student Accounting Society, Beta Gamma Sigma, and the Illinois State Honors Program. Collin is pursuing the BS/MPA program and hopes to achieve his master’s in accountancy while sitting for the CPA exam. He is looking forward to completing his upcoming audit internship with Sikich for Summer 2026.
EVAN CAPPS is a BS/MPA Professional Accountancy major and is currently in his final semester as a graduate student at Illinois State University. He has accepted a full-time offer with Sikich and is excited to start in August 2026. He is currently studying for the CPA exam.
AVA CARLSON is a senior majoring in professional accounting in the BS/MPA program. She is an active member of the Women in Business organization, and she is an accounting tutor at the Karin L. Bone Athletics Study Center. She looks forward to completing an accounting internship with State Farm in the summer of 2026 and plans to sit for the CPA in the future.
NICK CARPENTER is a senior accounting major at Illinois State University, graduating in May 2026. He completed a summer 2025 accounting internship at MedSpeed, where he supported lease tracking, budgeting, NetSuite reporting, and asset management, and led a project to improve the company’s lease renewal process. Nick will continue his education in Illinois State University’s graduate accounting program next year and plans to sit for the CPA exam after graduation.
MICHAEL CASSIDY is a Master of Professional Accountancy student at Illinois State University, graduating in May 2026. During his time at ISU, he has completed internships with RSM US LLP and Lakeshore Beverage, worked on campus supporting student organizations, and held leadership roles within Sigma Nu, including serving as Chapter President in 2024. He is actively pursuing CPA licensure and will be joining RSM US LLP as an Audit Associate in Fall 2026.
SAMANTHA CHOPP is a junior majoring in accounting. She is an active member of Student Accounting Society and the Vice President of Philanthropy for Alpha Gamma Delta. She looks forward to completing a tax internship with Andersen Tax in summer of 2027 and plans to sit provisionally for the CPA exam in spring of 2028.
ANDREW CONFORTI is a graduate accounting student enrolled in the BS/MPA program. He accepted a full-time offer as a specialty tax associate in July of 2026 at BDO and is currently studying for the CPA exam.
TANAYA CUMMINGS is a senior accounting major who was accepted into the BS/MPA Accounting Master’s Program at ISU for Fall 2026. She is an active member of Student Accounting Society, Accounting and Finance Women’s Alliance, National Association for Black Accountants, and is a second year VITA volunteer for McLean County residents. She has a tax internship with CLA and looks forward to completing a financial operations internship with State Farm in the summer of 2026. She plans to sit provisionally for the CPA exam in spring of 2027.
JOEL CUNDIFF is a senior majoring in accounting with plans to pursue the BS/ MPA program. Joel has been blessed with the opportunity to have five internships, one of which he is working with Clifton Larson Allen. He will start full-time in May and plans on starting my CPA exam this year.
SHREY DALAL is a junior majoring in accounting and enrolled in the BS/MPA program. He is an active member of Student Accounting Society and Indian Student Association. He is looking forward to completing the RSM Excellence Academy Internship in the summer of 2026, and a tax internship with Miller Cooper in spring of 2027. He plans on sitting for the CPA exam during his master’s program in fall of 2027 and spring of 2028.
AIDEN DE LA O is a junior at Illinois State University studying accounting and finance with a minor in financial planning in the Honors Program. Aiden is deeply involved in the College of Business as a Mentor and as an Accounting Tutor at the Visor Center. He recently concluded his term as the Vice President of Human Resources for Pi Sigma Epsilon business fraternity, where he spearheaded recruitment initiatives and managed a comprehensive onboarding process for newly recruited members, helping to prompt their professional development during their prospective membership. This summer Aiden will gain further industry experience as a Captive Finance intern with Captive Resources, LLC. Additionally, he is currently researching for the 2027 public accounting cycle and is on track to graduate in May 2027 and plans to be CPA-eligible and exam-passed by May 2028.
LEXI DELUNA is a senior studying financial accounting. She is an active member of a professional business fraternity, Pi Sigma Epsilon. She recently completed an internship with State Farm in the summer of 2025 and she is currently completing an internship with Johnson Lambert as an Audit Intern. She plans to sit provisionally for the CPA exam in the summer of 2026.
NICKOLAS DIBENEDETTO is a senior majoring in accounting. He plans on pursuing a master’s degree next year and sit provisionally for the CPA exam. He looks forward to completing a tax internship with KPMG in summer 2026.
SHANNON DOYLE is a junior majoring in accounting. Throughout her time at ISU, she has been an active member of the Honors Program, the Student Accounting Society, and the Big Red Marching Machine. Shannon was accepted as a lifetime member for Beta Gamma Sigma and was invited as a candidate for Beta Alpha Psi. Shannon has been employed as a financial accounting tutor in the Julia N. Visor Academic Center since Spring 2025. She is a volunteer with VITA, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Shannon has been accepted into the Johnson Lambert ELITE Program in May 2026 and has been hired for an accounting internship at Uline in the summer of 2026. She is considering sitting for the CMA exam in 2027 and plans to sit for the CPA exam in 2028.
LOGAN DUDLEY is a senior at Illinois State with the plan of continuing his education in the BS/MPA program next year at Illinois State University. Logan has been a treasurer for the Ultimate Frisbee Club. He plans to study and sit for the CPA exam once he graduates.
CLAYTON ECK is a senior majoring in accounting with a focus on business analytics. He looks forward to completing a tax internship with Sikich in Spring 2026 and plans to sit for the CMA exam this year before graduating in December 2026.
SYDNEE ESTREMERA is a junior accounting major. She recently interned with the City of Bloomington Finance Department during summer 2025 and looks forward to interning with CLA in spring 2027.
MIGUEL FONSECA is a senior who is majoring in accounting. He is currently as active member of Student Accounting Society and the Calisthenics Club. Miguel was also a tax intern at Kemper CPA in Champaign, IL and is currently a tax intern for Citrin Cooperman in Chicago, IL. He is excited to also start his assurance internship at RSM in the summer of 2026 and will be sitting for the CPA exam spring of 2027.
ALLYSON FORD is a sophomore majoring in accounting. She is an active member of the business fraternity, Phi Gamma Nu, serving on the executive board as the VP of Finance. Allyson is also involved in the club women’s rugby team on campus. She looks forward to working in the Athletics Business Office this summer and plans to graduate with her masters and CPA certification in May 2029.
MADISON FOWLER is pursuing her master’s in professional accountancy and is an active member of the Student Accounting Society. Madison has started studying for the CPA Exam: FAR and plans to sit for the exam in late spring of 2026. She looks forward to beginning a full-time accounting career in the fall following her May graduation.
ADRIAN GARCIA is pursuing a Master of Professional Accountancy with a sequence in information systems at Illinois State University. He has gained hands-on experience as an Audit Intern at Sikich over the past two summers, where he worked primarily with employee benefit plans and payroll audits. While completing his master’s degree, he is also preparing for the CPA exams and continuing to work part-time as an Audit Intern with Sikich. During Adrian’s undergraduate studies, he served as Treasurer of Sigma Nu, managing the fraternity’s financial operations and developing the annual budget.
ETHAN GOCKEL is a senior accounting student at Illinois State University. He currently serves as Vice President of the Student Leadership Advisory Board and as a Mentor Program Coordinator for Business Week. He previously served as the InterBusiness Fraternity Council Chair and Vice President of Alumni Relations for the Professional Business Fraternity Delta Sigma Pi and as a Transition Seminar Coordinator for Business Week. Ethan has completed an Audit Internship at Lauterbach and Amen, a Business Operations Internship at A-Z Industries, and will join EY this summer as a Tax Intern. He plans to sit for the CPA exam in the summer of 2026.
JACK GOCKEL is a senior accounting major in the Honors Program at Illinois State University. He is involved with Business Week, serving as the Professional Development Dinner Coordinator, Delta Sigma Pi, where he has served as the Vice President of Professional Activities, and he has also been an active member of the Student Accounting Society. Outside of school, he has interned at A-Z Industries as a Business Operations Intern in the summer of 2024, Sikich as a Tax Intern in the Spring of 2025, and Caterpillar as a Corporate Accounting Intern in the Global Marketing & Brand business unit in the summer and fall of 2025. He looks forward to rejoining Caterpillar in their Earthmoving Division and starting the CPA Exam in the summer of 2026. Jack will graduate with his bachelor’s Degree in May of 2026 and with his master’s degree in May of 2027.
RYLEE GREEN is a graduate student majoring in accounting. She is an active member of Student Accounting Society. Rylee also currently serves as the event coordinator for Girl Gains. She has been a property accountant intern for Jones Lang Lasalle since June 2025. She is currently studying for her CPA exams and plans to take AUD in the end of March.
BROOKE HAGGERTY is a junior accounting major and an active member of the Student Accounting Society, Accounting and Finance Women’s Alliance, and Beta Gamma Sigma. She currently works in the Tickets Office for the Athletic Department at Illinois State University and has been accepted to graduate school, with an expected graduation date of May 2027. Brooke is excited to return to ITW for her second corporate accounting internship in the summer of 2026.
GWYNETH HALE is a junior majoring in accounting and minoring in financial planning. She is an active member in Phi Sigma Sigma and served a term on their executive council as Bursar. She plans on accepting an internship with Lakeside Book Company in the summer of 2026.
LUKE HENKEL is currently a junior majoring in accounting and part of the B.S./ M.P.A. program. He is involved with Student Accounting Society, along with the Honors Program on campus. Last summer Luke completed an audit internship with Forvis Mazars, and he is excited to return to Forvis Mazars for another audit internship this upcoming summer. Luke is aspiring to pursue his CPA certification soon.
SHANE HOSTY is a junior majoring in accounting. Shane is active in student accounting society, as well as plan to join Beta Alpha Psi this semester. He is currently serving as the treasurer for the Roundnet club at ISU as well as the executive board for all sports clubs. Shane is excited to complete my second internship with Holder as a cost controls intern in the summer of 2026 and continue to prepare for the CPA exam in Spring of 2028.
JESSICA JAROSIK is a junior double majoring in financial accounting and finance. She is an active member of Student Accounting Society and Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance. Jessica also is a part of the Honor’s Program, participated in the Business Week Program last year as a mentee, and was a part of Women in Business her freshman and sophomore year. She looks forward to completing a tax internship with Miller Cooper in summer of 2026 and plans to sit for the CPA exam after graduating in May 2027.
CASEY JUDGE is majoring in business information systems, focused on business analytics. Casey spends his time doing things he enjoys, such as playing percussion instruments for the ISU Symphonic Band, and leading his collegiate esports team to win on match days. Casey is actively looking for an internship to gain workplace experience and learn technical skills such as SQL and PowerBI in his own time. Casey is always willing to learn and grow to become the best version of himself.
CARTER KAPANJIE is a junior majoring in business information systems with an analytics sequence. He serves as the Vice President of Agape Campus Ministry and is an active member of the BIS Club and the Rock Climbing Club. Carter is looking forward to an Agile Product Design internship with CNA this summer.
SAIME KESER is a junior majoring in accounting at Illinois State University. She is an Honors Program student and an active member of the Student Accounting Society, Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance, and Beta Gamma Sigma. Saime also volunteers with the IRS VITA program, preparing tax returns for community members. She plans to pursue CPA eligibility upon graduation and sit for the CPA exam in 2027.
KYLER KLINGS is a senior double majoring in accounting and finance. He looks forward to completing his accounting internship with State Farm in the summer of 2026 and will begin his MPA in the following fall of 2026.
MICHAEL KOCZWARA is currently a graduate accounting student in the BS/MPA sequence. He completed a tax internship with Plante Moran in Chicago this past summer where he received a full-time offer and will be starting in August. Michael is also currently studying for the CPA exams.
SHUOLIN KONG is a graduate accounting student in the Master of Science in accountancy program at Illinois State University. She has a strong academic record and extensive coursework in accounting, forensic analytics, and business information systems. Shuolin is bilingual in English and Chinese. She has passed the FAR and AUD sections of the CPA exam and is currently preparing for REG and TCP, with plans to complete all four CPA exams by June 2026.
RACHEL LECHTENBERG is a transfer student from College of DuPage where she received her Associates in Art. She transferred to Illinois State University as a junior and is continuing to study accounting. She is in the BS/MPA program and is expected to graduate with her BS in May of 2026 and her MPA in May of 2027. Her plan is to start sitting for the CPA exam Summer of 2027. Rachel is also an active member of the Student Accounting Society at ISU. She is the former treasurer and President of the Illinois State University Women’s Rugby team. She is also currently working for Trinity Property Consultants at The Social as a leasing consultant.
GIANNA LEIGH is a junior accounting major. She is involved in Student Accounting Society and Phi Gamma Nu. Gianna serves as the secretary for Student Accounting Society and as the Assistant VP of Finance for Phi Gamma Nu. Gianna plans on sitting for the CPA exam after she finishes my masters in the spring of 2028.
JAKE LUNDSTROM is a graduate student in the BS/MPA program. He is an active member of the Delta Sigma Pi co-ed business fraternity and the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Jake has gained valuable professional experience through internships with ISU Campus Recreation, Pepper Construction, and Illinois Tool Works. He looks forward to joining RSM as a Tax Intern in the summer of 2026 and plans to sit for the CPA exam that summer while completing his master’s degree.
MADISON MAEDER is a junior majoring in accounting and an active member of the Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance (AFWA). She is excited to begin her first internship with Lauterbach & Amen LLP in summer 2026 and plans to sit for the CPA exam in spring 2028.
ALLYSAH MARTIN is a junior majoring in accounting. She is an active member of the Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance and a member of the Asian Pacific American Coalition. She is excitedly looking forward to and plans to sit for the CPA exam in 2029 after completing her master’s program.
STEEL MARTIN is a junior majoring in accounting with a minor in legal studies. He is an active member of Pi Sigma Epsilon, where he previously served as Vice President of Finance and now serves as Community Service Director. Steel is also a member of the Student Leadership Advisory Board for the College of Business, where he serves as secretary, and is involved in Beta Alpha Psi. He is currently a corporate accounting intern with Caterpillar. Steel looks forward to completing a tax internship with Caterpillar in the summer of 2026 and plans to sit provisionally for the CPA exam in spring of 2027.
ZOFIA MARUSARZ is a sophomore majoring in accounting. She is an active member of Alpha Delta Pi where she hopes to serve as VP of Finance. She is also a proud member of Klub Janosik, a Polish heritage club. She is on track to earn her bachelor’s degree in accounting, followed by a master’s and CPA license.
CORDELIA MATA is a senior majoring in financial accounting. She is an active member of Student Accounting Society and a member of the honors program. She also recently finished training for VITA and will be volunteering with them, starting in February. She looks forward to completing an audit internship with Forvis Mazars in summer of 2026 and plans to sit provisionally for the CPA exam in spring of 2027.
THERASIA MBETE is an accounting information systems student with a passion for learning how accounting and technology work together to support strong organizations and communities. Therasia is working toward her degree while preparing for a future career in accounting and CPA eligibility. In addition to her studies, she volunteers with an ESL program, where she helps support individuals as they build confidence in their communication skills.
HADLEY MCCLALLEN is a junior majoring in accounting. She currently works as an intern at Clifton Larson Allen in Peoria, IL in the CAAS department. She spends most of her time working towards her future career.
JACK MEDLICOTT is a senior at Illinois State University pursuing a combined Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Administration (BS/MPA). He maintains a 4.0 GPA and plans to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam following graduation. Jack is highly involved in campus leadership and professional organizations. He has previously held leadership roles in Delta Sigma Pi and currently serves as President of the Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society. In addition, he is the Vice President of Professional Development for Business Week, where he oversees initiatives focused on student growth and career readiness. Outside of academics and leadership, Jack enjoys playing video games and spending time with friends.
ANDY NGUYEN is a graduate student pursuing his master’s degree in the BS/MPA program and looking to complete his master’s degree in summer 2026. He is currently studying and sitting for the CPA exam this year.
WILLIAMS OFORI-NYARKO is an MSA student at Illinois State University. He is an active member of the National Association of Black Accountants. He has previously volunteered as a notetaker for Student Access and Accommodation Services and is currently a VITA volunteer. He also volunteers as a Student Mentor for Ashesi University located in Ghana, West Africa. As a student mentor, he provides guidance to undergraduate students on how to transition from school into practice or industry. He previously worked as a Senior Associate for PwC Ghana’s Governance, Risk, Compliance and Internal Audit Unit. Williams plans to take the CPA exam in Spring 2026.
ARIEL POMIERSKI is a senior majoring in financial accounting and is set to graduate in May 2026. She is currently applying to sit for the CPA, and she will be working in employee compensation at State Farm after graduation. Ariel has been an avid member of Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance (AFWA), Student Accounting Society (SAS), and the Honors department at ISU. She currently works as the bookkeeper for Empower the Nest and was a teaching assistant for three semesters.
JACK PRILLER is a Master student in the BS/MPA program where he maintains a high academic standing in the hall of business. He is currently balancing a full-time job in the accounting industry, working at SKDO P.C. with the Tax team during this busy season. He has gained lots of experience that has tied to his learning in class in his short time at the firm and in the industry. He is completing his BS/MPA program this spring. He looks forward to studying for the CPA exam in 2026 after graduation and he intends to sit for the CPA exam in 2026.
BAILEY RENFRO is a junior majoring in business information systems with a minor in sociology. She is an active member of Alpha Delta Pi, a social sorority where she serves as the Vice President of Membership Development. She also is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, a business honors society where she serves as the Secretary, and Delta Sigma Pi, a co-ed business fraternity where she serves as the Pledge Education Chair. For the past seven summers she has run her own business teaching private swimming lessons to her community, teaching over 100 swimmers. This upcoming summer, she looks forward to completing an internship at Lockton and then graduating from Illinois State University in the spring of 2027.
BRANDON ROUSE-VALADEZ is a senior majoring in Business Information Systems with a strong interest in data analytics and technology to improve business processes. He is actively involved in a local running club and a campus Christian ministry. Brandon has developed technical skills in SQL, Power BI, and Excel. He recently became a certified Scrum Master (CSM) and Scrum Product Owner (CSPO). He is passionate about agile methodologies and continuous improvement, and plans to pursue opportunities working with agile teams to drive collaboration and deliver value efficiently
AVRIL RUIZ is a senior majoring in accounting. She completed a cost accounting internship with James Hardie in Summer 2025 and will complete another internship in Summer 2026. Avril plans to sit provisionally for the CPA exam in Spring 2027.
JADE SCHIERER is currently a senior majoring in accounting. In summer 2026, she will begin pursuing her Master of Accountancy through Illinois State’s Graduate Program. She is an active member of Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance, where she served as Event Coordinator for two years. Jade will begin an internship with Andersen Tax in June 2026 and plans to sit provisionally for the CPA exam in Fall 2026.
ABBY SCHNIEDERJAN is a fifth-year student in the BS/MPA program. She is an active member of the Student Accounting Society. In Spring 2025, Abby completed a tax internship with MCK CPAs & Advisors, followed by an accounting internship with ADM in Summer 2025. She currently works part-time in ADM’s internal audit department and will graduate in May 2026, with plans to sit for the CPA exam in Summer 2026.
DANI GRACE SCHROCK is a senior majoring in accounting. She is a member of the ISU women’s golf team and has been a part of the team for back-to-back MVC Championships. She is going to be pursuing a master’s degree in accounting in the fall of 2026 while being the graduate assistant for the ISU women’s golf team with hopes of pursuing her CPA upon the completion of her master’s.
NITIN SHARMA is a senior majoring in accounting with a strong academic record. He has gained hands-on experience through internships with Andersen and Renaissance Software, where he supported tax professionals, analyzed data, and collaborated on team projects. Nitin has also held leadership roles as a manager in the service industry, developing strong organizational and communication skills. He plans to continue building his career in accounting and pursue CPA licensure after completing his degree.
MAXIMUS SMITS is a junior majoring in accounting. He previously participated in the Student Accounting Society and currently serves as the Treasurer of the Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity. He is currently completing a tax internship with Eccezion and looks forward to returning for an accounting internship in summer 2026. He plans to begin studying for the CPA exam in early 2027, with the goal of taking his first section in fall 2027.
LINCOLN STEIDINGER is a senior in the BS/MPA program. He currently is the vice president of the ISU Young Group RSO and a member of Round Net Club. He works as a part-time accounts payable clerk at W.M. Master’s during the school year and had an internship this past summer at State Farm in their accounting division. He plans to sit provisionally for the CPA exam in spring 2027.
MICHELLE SZCZYGIEL is a junior honors accounting student. She is an active member of Student Accounting Society, Women in Business, And Klub Janosik (ISU’s Polish Club). Szczygiel holds two executive board positions as Vice President and social media chair. She looks forward to completing a tax internship with Fates, Bodily, & Parker PLLC in summer of 2026 and will begin preparing for the CPA exam in 2027.
JACOB TALLIAN is a junior accounting major with first semester senior standing. He is very involved on campus, being an active member of the professional business fraternity Pi Sigma Epsilon. He is currently the Vice President of Finance for Pi Sigma Epsilon. He also is the Vice President of the Spikeball Club. He is looking forward to his audit internship at Miller Cooper in spring of 2027.
TAYLOR TEDFORD is a junior majoring in accounting with a minor in business analytics. She is an active campus leader, having served as Treasurer for Tri Delta, and Senior Vice President and New Member Educator for Delta Sigma Pi, where she developed strong leadership, financial management and mentoring skills. Taylor has also been involved in Business Week since her sophomore year serving as a mentor to help underclassmen prepare for careers in business. Lastly, she is passionate about working with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and has been a part of their fundraising eMorts since her freshmen year. Professionally, Taylor has gained hands on experience as an Internal Audit Intern at ADM and will be joining RSM as an Assurance Intern this summer. She plans to pursue a career in audit or continue her education by earning a JD and specializing in tax law, combining her accounting background with advanced legal expertise.
TYLER URBAN, a junior accounting major, is President of the Student Accounting Society and is leading efforts to establish an Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) chapter at Illinois State University, where he will serve as President. He plans to take the CMA exam this summer.
IRAN VELAZQUEZ is a senior in the BS/ MPA Accounting program. She has been actively involved in Phi Gamma Nu, the business fraternity, for the past four years where she has served as a mentor and has held leadership roles including Corporate Sponsor Relations Chair, Philanthropy Chair, and Assistant Vice President of Finance. Iran interned with PwC in summer 2025 and will be returning for another internship in summer of 2026. She is currently completing a spring tax season internship with Miller Cooper.
RYAN WAGNER is a senior majoring in accounting. He is an active member of Sigma Nu on campus where he served as Chapter President and Secretary. Ryan also served as the Vice President of Finance for the Interfraternity Council. He gained practical experience through a spring 2026 audit & assurance internship and looks forward to gaining experience in tax through a summer 2026 internship with Miller Cooper. He plans to sit provisionally for the CPA exam in fall 2026.
MACKENZIE WAND is a senior majoring in accounting. She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Psi, and she currently serves as the Vice President of Logistics on the Business Week team. She also has an oncampus job at Career Services. She looks forward to completing a corporate accounting internship with Caterpillar in the summer of 2026 and plans to enter the fifth year of the BS/MPA program next year.
COLIN WASSERMAN is a sophomore majoring in accounting. He is a student in the Honors Program, the Vice President of Membership for Future Business Leaders of America, and a volunteer tax preparer for VITA.
RAEGAN WEBB is a freshman majoring in accountancy information systems. She is an active member of Women in Business and RBK Dance team. She looks forward to her upcoming years at Illinois State and can’t wait to grow both personally and professionally.
CARL WHITAKER is a senior majoring in accounting at Illinois State University. He previously participated in the Student Accounting Society and has focused on building a strong academic and professional foundation in accounting. Carl will be joining MH CPA as an audit intern in the summer of 2026, where he looks forward to gaining hands-on experience at a professional accounting firm. Carl plans to sit provisionally for the CPA exam in the spring of 2027.
JASON ZHENG is a junior majoring in accounting. He is an active member of Student Accounting Society and Phi Gamma Nu and serves as a Business Week Mentor. He looks forward to completing an audit internship with Forvis Mazars in the summer of 2026. Jason plans to complete the CMA certification this year and intends to sit for the CPA exam in Spring 2028.
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Department Faculty and Staff would like to congratulate all of this year’s award recipients. We would also like to thank family and friends for their support of our programs and for sharing this special time with us.
