Our Beta Alpha Psi Chapter has continued its success. In 2012 and 2013, the Chapter achieved Superior status and in 2014, they achieved Distinguished status. Francis Bennett, last year’s Beta Alpha Psi president, represented our chapter by participating on the winning team in Project Run With It at the Annual Beta Alpha Psi meeting. Each year, the CPA firm of Moss Adams sponsors the competition which gives teams of students the opportunity to work on a real-world consulting project. Francis was one of only 72 students out of more than 1,200 meeting attendees who were selected to participate, so just being chosen was an honor. His team won the competition and he brought home a plaque and $1,000 prize! While our students have been selected to participate in Project Run With It in the past, this is the first time that we’ve had a participant on the winning team.
For the last two years, SIUE accounting majors have been selected by the Illinois CPA Society to participate in the Mary T. Washington Wylie Internship Preparation Program in Chicago. This is a three-day, intensive program in downtown Chicago that aims to prepare up to 25 students for life in the accounting profession. The third day of the program provides the participants with the opportunity to interview for paid internship slots with some of the most prestigious accounting firms and companies in Chicago. In 2013, Angela Jordan was our first-ever nominee and participant. In 2014, Brandi Jackson was selected.
Many of you know that our Beta Alpha Psi Chapter sponsors a very successful Meet the Firms event each year prior to on-campus interviews. This past year, 21 employers and two CPA review providers attended. Both students and employers report that contacts made at Meet the Firms have led to job offers.
Some of our students participated in the annual School of Business Scholarship and Awards Luncheon on April 21, where the following awards were presented:
- Denise Suhrenbrock Award - Jessica Winkler
- Stuart White Award - Jonathan Bettis & Kristen Drainer
- Rosner Award - Ashley Bass
- Phoenix Award - Richelle Gonzalez
- Anders Award - Claire Rogers
- BKD Award - Connor Zelasko
- Accounting Alumni Award - Jordan Mendez & Wen Lian
- Accounting Service Award - Patrick Meyer
- BAP Scholarship - Patrick Meyer
Beta Alpha Psi continues to sponsor its annual golf outing, with proceeds going to charity. During the past three years, the Chapter has donated more than $5,800 to Relay for Life. This year’s outing was April 24 at Oak Brook in Edwardsville, with proceeds once again being donated to Relay for Life.
This semester, Dr. Susan Murray is offering the first sustainability course in our graduate programs. Experts from Nestle-Purina, AB InBev, Madison County, Midwest Coalition of Sustainable Investment, the St. Louis Rams and Express Scripts have met with our students to discuss their organizations’ approaches to sustainability.
We have recently received approval to offer a set of online transition courses aimed at getting MSA applicants with non-accounting undergraduate degrees into the MSA program. The courses, based on a grant written by Greg Sierra, will allow applicants to acquire the necessary accounting skills in just three eight-week sessions. If you know someone with a non-accounting undergraduate degree who would like to start the MSA, have them contact Mike Costigan (mcostig@siue.edu).