Fowler College of Business
Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy Fiscal Year 2025-2026
Message from Leadership
Dear Donor, It has been an exciting and transformative year for SDSU’s Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy. As we reflect on our accomplishments, I am especially proud of how we have worked together to advance the mission of our school as we prepare the next generation of accounting leaders. One of our key priorities has been strengthening our community college outreach, ensuring that talented students can see a clear pathway into our programs. We have also continued to invest in opportunities that help students develop the skills and professional relationships needed for success in the accounting profession. The pages that follow showcase the achievements of our faculty, students, and alumni, whose generosity and leadership continue to inspire us. Together, these stories reflect the vibrancy, innovation, and impact of the Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy. I look forward to building on this momentum as we strengthen our programs and prepare our students for the future of accounting. Thank you to our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners for your continued support.
Jeff Wang, Ph.D., CFA William E. Cole Director of the Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy
Philanthropy
Propelling the SDSU Community Forward Partrick-Clayes Accounting Scholars Scholarship The Partrick-Clayes Accounting Scholars Scholarship provides transformative annual support to a Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy student at a pivotal stage in their academic and professional journey. This is the largest scholarship in the Fowler College of Business and provides significant support to an accounting major during their final undergraduate year or as they enter the graduate portion of the Bachelor of Management Accountancy (BMAcc) program. By prioritizing high-achieving community college transfer students with demonstrated financial need, the scholarship helps reduce financial barriers, recognizes academic excellence, and empowers recipients to focus on degree completion, CPA preparation, and a successful transition into the accounting profession.
Class of 2026 SDSU Graduates
Student Spotlight
Thriving in the Aztec Experience Julian Preciado, Class of 2026 Class Level: Undergraduate Student College: Fowler College of Business Major: Accountancy When I transferred to SDSU as an accounting student, I realized that accounting was a lot more than just academics. The Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy not only challenged me but also showed me what the Accounting community was like at SDSU. Everyone knew what it took to succeed, and everyone understood how much effort it required. My favorite memories at SDSU were long nights studying with classmates before intermediate accounting exams, preparing for Meet the Firms, and seeing so many familiar faces in all of my accounting classes. The experiences I had at SDSU and the Lamden School of Accountancy helped me build lifelong friendships, confidence, and professionalism. Professor John Hayes had a meaningful impact on my time at SDSU. His classes were some of the most challenging classes I took. He cares about his students beyond academics, encouraging personal growth by supporting each other and believing in themselves. His mentorship helped shape my mindset and approach to challenges. After graduating, I will begin my career as a tax intern with PwC in San Diego, and I plan to pursue my CPA while focusing on digital asset taxation.
Points of Pride
Celebrating Shared Success Statistics of Interest As of Fall 2025, the Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy serves 883 undergraduate students and 147 graduate students. The program is the 12th largest institution in the nation based on the number of students taking the CPA exam each year. The School maintains a consistently high CPA exam pass rate, ranking second among all California State University (CSU) campuses. Recent Highlights The California State University Chancellor’s Office approved the School’s STEM-designated Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) program. Admissions began in Fall 2025, with the first cohort enrolling in Fall 2026. As part of this enhancement, ACCTG 677: Data Analytics for Accounting will be introduced to strengthen students’ analytical and data-driven decision-making skills. The School is also updating its undergraduate and Bachelor of Management Accountancy (BMAcc) curricula in response to evolving CPA licensure pathways and California program preapproval standards. Planned revisions include stronger alignment with transfer pathways, the addition of ethics coursework to the undergraduate curriculum, 12 units of double-counting within the BMAcc program, and a refreshed capstone course emphasizing financial planning and analysis (FP&A) and advanced managerial accounting. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP/SAP) content will transition to a 500-level elective course. Experiential learning opportunities continued to expand through the SDSU/UABC COIL+ Transborder Travel initiative in ACCTG 503, where students collaborated in binational teams and connected tax, trade, and border economy concepts to site visits with businesses and regional organizations. Additional experiential opportunities are being explored through participation in the Deloitte competition, ERP competition, and CFA Research Challenge. Career readiness remained a central focus through the continued success of the Career Readiness & Etiquette Luncheon, recruiter and alumni networking events, and the launch of a new mentor program designed to support students’ professional development, leadership skills, and career exploration.
CPA Strength
Ranked No. 12 nationally for CPA exam participation, and No. 2 among CSU campuses.
Faculty and Staff Achievements
Amanda Marino, Ph.D., CPA, MST Title: Professor, Accounting College: Fowler College of Business Achievement: Professor Amanda Marino developed the SDSU/UABC COIL+ Transborder Travel initiative in ACCTG 503, creating an innovative experiential learning opportunity that combines binational student collaboration with practitioner site visits and connects classroom concepts in tax, trade, and the border economy to real-world applications. The COIL+ experience helped students move beyond traditional classroom learning by applying tax, trade, and business concepts in real-world, cross-border contexts. Through collaboration with peers from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and engagement with industry professionals, students gained a deeper understanding of the economic and business relationships that shape the border region. The program built confidence, broadened cultural and professional perspectives, strengthened teamwork and communication skills, and fostered meaningful connections that extended beyond the classroom. Many students described the opportunity as transformative, helping them better understand the value of global collaboration in their future careers.
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Professor Marino’s COIL+ initiative transformed transborder learning, bringing tax, trade, and global collaboration to life for future careers.
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Faculty and Staff Achievements
John Hayes Title: Lecturer, Accounting College: Fowler College of Business Achievement: John Hayes was awarded the Glazer Outstanding Lecturer Fellowship in recognition of his excellence in teaching and dedication to student success. He was also honored as a Most Influential Faculty Member by a student award recipient, reflecting the lasting impact he has on student learning, mentorship, and professional development within the School of Accountancy. Through his dedication to teaching, accessibility, and commitment to student success, Hayes helps students build both technical knowledge and professional confidence. His guidance extends beyond the classroom, encouraging students to pursue their goals, navigate career opportunities, and develop the skills needed to succeed in the accounting profession. This recognition highlights the meaningful relationships he builds with students and the positive influence he has on their academic and professional journeys.
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Hayes' guidance extends beyond the classroom, encouraging students to pursue their goals, navigate career opportunities, and develop the skills needed to succeed in the accounting profession.
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Faculty and Staff Achievements
Steve Gill, Ph.D. Title: Associate Professor, Accounting College: Fowler College of Business Achievement: Professor Steve Gill received the 2025 SDSU Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Faculty Contributor for the Fowler College of Business. This recognition honors Gill's exceptional contributions to teaching, student success, and service to the college, university, and broader alumni community. Since joining the School of Accountancy in 2008, Gill has made a lasting impact through his leadership in graduate education, research in taxation, and dedicated service to the SDSU community. As a faculty member, Gill has helped shape academic programs that prepare students for successful careers in accounting and business while fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement. His scholarship has contributed to the field of taxation, and his commitment to student success has extended beyond the classroom through mentorship, advising, and professional engagement. In addition to his teaching and research contributions, Gill has provided meaningful service to the Fowler College of Business, the university, and its alumni community. His receipt of the 2025 SDSU Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Faculty Contributor reflects the broad and lasting influence he has had on students, colleagues, and the university throughout his distinguished career.
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Gill has made a lasting impact through his leadership in graduate education, research in taxation, and dedicated service to the SDSU community.
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Featured Areas
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program continues to provide valuable, hands-on learning opportunities for students while serving the campus community. Thirty-three undergraduate student volunteers and two graduate assistants participated in the program in the Spring 2026 semester. During seven service sessions, totaling approximately 35 hours, student volunteers prepared more than 300 tax returns, averaging 43 returns per session. The majority of returns were prepared for SDSU students, including many international students. SDSU VITA remains the only VITA site in San Diego County with volunteers trained to prepare tax returns for foreign students, providing a unique and essential service to the university community. As student enrollment continues to grow, demand for the program remains strong, with students expressing appreciation for the support and guidance available through the site. Volunteers also assisted additional taxpayers by providing information and referrals to other VITA sites when services fell outside the program’s scope. Beyond its community impact, the program continues to serve as a meaningful experiential learning opportunity. Through direct client interactions and real-world tax preparation experience, students gain practical skills that complement their classroom learning. One student shared that participation in VITA was a primary factor in deciding to pursue a career in taxation. For many students, the program represents one of the few opportunities to apply accounting concepts in a professional setting while still completing their academic studies. The continued success of the VITA program highlights its dual impact: supporting taxpayers while preparing the next generation of accounting professionals through hands-on, real-world experience.
VITA volunteers
Thank you for your generous support.
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