OCTOBER 2022
ACCY Update
From the Department Head
Dear Colleagues and Friends, After 19 years of teaching, I can still say that there is nothing quite like greeting a new group of learners into your classroom, whether it’s on campus or online. New beginnings are important, and so are warm welcomes. This summer and fall, we had several opportunities to extend that welcome to hundreds of learners. In July, interested high school students from across the state came to campus as we hosted the Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP) in collaboration with the National Association of Black Accountants. In August, hundreds of accounting undergraduates, graduate students, and PhD candidates began a new semester. They were joined by seven new faculty members, who will bring their expertise to the Gies on-campus and online classrooms. Then in September, hundreds of learners from our online programs, including some from the iMSA, came to campus from around the world as part of our iConverge event. As we heard from these students over the first few months, it’s apparent that our focus on access, excellence, and inclusion makes a difference for the learner and the accounting profession. At iConverge, Jennifer Betz ’23, shared that her experience as an iMSA student not only gave her flexibility but also delivered the technical skills she needed for the CPA exam and prepared her to go
“Our focus on access,
excellence, and inclusion makes a difference for the learner and the accounting profession.
”
back into the workforce after a six-year hiatus raising children. Current student Alex Kogen, ACCY ’22, MAS ’23, chosen as a 2022 Best & Brightest Business Major by Poets&Quants, told the publication that Gies Accountancy has provided him with exceptional opportunities to gain hands-on technical and leadership experience, collaborate with expert faculty, and build a purposeful career path. And Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Professor of Accountancy Nerissa Brown, who worked with the ACAP students during their time on campus, shared that the ACAP participants—most from underrepresented populations—felt that the outreach program opened their minds to accounting as a career path and Gies as a place where they could be successful. I’m proud to welcome all learners to Gies Accountancy. And I’m especially proud to lead a department committed to delivering the very best in accounting education and thought leadership. Sincerely,
Michael Donohoe Head, Department of Accountancy PwC Faculty Fellow and RC Evans Data Analytics Scholar
This summer and fall, the Department of Accountancy welcomed: 686 Undergraduates 337 Residential graduate students 16 PhD candidates 512 Online students 7 New faculty members 15 Accounting Career Awareness Program participants
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