FALL 2025
ACCY Update From the Department Head
Colleagues and Friends, Undergraduate Accountancy Program
Each new issue of this newsletter reminds me how fortunate I am to be serving the best accountancy department anywhere in the world. Every story we share makes me endlessly proud of our faculty, staff, alumni, and students who are challenging assumptions, striving for excellence, and making an impact. And yet, this issue feels special, because it contains a bit of news that we are so proud to share: the undergraduate accountancy program at Illinois has, once again, been ranked #1 in the nation. It’s something we’ve known and felt in our hearts for a long time, but still, it’s rewarding to be recognized for all the investments we’ve made toward growing the expertise of our faculty, transforming the lives of our students, and advancing the accounting profession.
“It’s rewarding to be
There’s so much about this recognition that we owe
recognized for all the investments we’ve made toward growing the expertise of our faculty, transforming the lives of our students, and advancing the accounting profession.
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to our incredible alumni. Their contributions enhance our ability to make those investments, and their many personal successes represent the remarkable value of an accounting education at Illinois. In this issue, you’ll learn about the faculty we’re recruiting, the outreach we’re facilitating, and the bold conversations we’re starting. And you’ll read about an alumna who is using her accounting expertise to help educate communities. I hope these stories make you proud to be connected to this outstanding department and that, with every subsequent issue of this newsletter, you’ll continue to be inspired by the excellence of our research, teaching, and service to others.
Michael Donohoe Head of the Department of Accountancy Irwin Jecha Distinguished Professor in Accountancy
Undergraduate accountancy program reclaims its top spot in U.S. News & World Report rankings The latest U.S. News & World Report ranks the Gies Business undergraduate accountancy program #1 in the nation. This recongition represents another strong result for the accountancy department, which also holds top positions in several other national rankings:
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faculty for accounting research BYU Accounting Research Rankings
in Relevance of Accounting Research (ROAR) BYU Accounting Research Rankings
business school for graduate accounting U.S. News & World Report