No college accounting program can hope to be relevant unless it keeps up with the ever-changing practices and demands of the professional marketplace. In our ASAC Advisory Council and Young Professional Accounting Council, the Adkerson School of Accountancy has knowledgeable, engaged advisors.

“The Advisory Council has played a crucial role in shaping the direction and success of the Adkerson School of Accountancy,” says Chairman Chip Hoover, leader of Warren Averett’s Transportation Industry Group. “My colleagues and I bring diverse expertise and perspectives, which have been instrumental in implementation and execution of the School’s strategic plan. The collaborative efforts of the Council have raised capital, provided employment opportunities for students and kept the faculty informed on the needs of the profession.”

Hoover notes that among the largest priorities for the Council this year are outreach to business students to promote the accounting profession; alumni outreach, with plans to follow a recent successful Memphis event with others in places like Jackson and Birmingham and “CPA Pathways” – looking at how adjustments to the CPA requirements will affect the curriculum.

“Our involvement in aligning current trends and hot topics in the profession with the faculty ensures that ASAC and the students in it are continuously updated and prepared for whatever arises,” remarks Advisory Council Co-Chairman Clark Price, an Audit Senior Manager with Deloitte. “Additionally, we are the advocates back to our respective companies to make sure ASAC – and the MSU College of Business more broadly – is the school of focus for hiring students.”

A key initiative for both councils has been the “Why Choose Accounting” program, aimed at getting more students to consider accounting as a major and a future career. Council members serve as speakers in the Principles of Accounting classes, sharing the practical aspects of working in accounting, like salaries, the variety of job possibilities and the day to day realities of working in them, as well as the ability to gain experience while still in school. Price has spearheaded the effort.

“The student interactions during and after the presentations continue to increase with each passing semester,” he says. “We rely heavily on the students to inform us what information is most important to them, and we hold nothing back. Continuing to align our presentations to what’s top of mind for our students and being fully transparent is what has and will continue to make this program a success.”

Members of the Young Professional Accounting Council (YPAC) bring the perspective of those who are newer in their careers to this program. They also serve as a bridge between student and employer and between academia and industry. They participate in meetings of the Advisory Council and are members of the School’s strategic goals committees.

“As recent graduates, YPAC members bring a unique perspective on what matters most to current and prospective students,” comments inaugural member Katie Hutson, a Tax Supervisor at Harper, Rains, Knight & Company. “We do our best to connect students interested in accounting with young professionals in the accounting industry.”

Hutson, who transitioned to the Advisory Council a few weeks ago, adds, “You’ll likely see us on campus representing our firms for the Career Fair in the fall and the Scholarship Banquet in the spring, serving as volunteers for the Accounting School’s ASAP Camp and speaking in classes about the benefits of choosing a career in accounting.”

Both the Advisory Council and the Young Professional Accounting Council are filled with accomplished individuals who care about making a difference.

“I speak for our entire staff when I say how grateful we are for the time and hands-on involvement these professionals bring to our program and our students,” states ASAC Director Shawn Mauldin. “They are vital in ensuring we provide the best accounting education possible and, by extension, guarantee a promising future for the profession.”