The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) recently announced that 253 students from U.S. colleges and universities have been selected to receive a $10,000 scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year.
Among them is Megan Winter, a 2021 Appalachian State University alumna who is now working toward her Master of Science in Accounting degree in the Walker College of Business.
"As a passionate accounting major," said Winter in her LinkedIn profile, "I always takes the next steps and am dedicated to my work and being fully engaged in everything I do."
As an undergraduate, Winter consistently earned Chancellor's List and Dean's List nods, was a member of the Walker College Honors Program, and participated in Club Swimming.
"Congratulations to our PCAOB Scholars who achieved this distinction during an unquestionably challenging period for students everywhere," said PCAOB Acting Chairperson Duane M. DesParte. "The PCAOB is pleased to help support these dedicated individuals on their paths to becoming leaders in accounting and auditing."
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 provides that funds generated from the collection of PCAOB monetary penalties must be used to fund a merit scholarship program for students in accredited accounting degree programs. The PCAOB Scholars Program was created to identify eligible students and to award funds through the students' educational institutions.
The program's goals are (1) to benefit outstanding students who are likely to become auditors and (2) to make a difference to eligible students who might otherwise pursue a different career path. The PCAOB encourages participating colleges and universities to give special consideration to students from populations that have been historically underrepresented in the accounting profession.
Since the program's inception in 2011, the PCAOB has awarded $16.23 million in scholarships to 1,623 recipients. This year, the Board is continuing a pilot program intended to award scholarships directly to students who transfer from a two-year institution to the accounting program at a participating four-year institution. Since the launch of the pilot in 2019, this addition to the Scholars Program has resulted in 46 transfer students being awarded a scholarship.
A description of the program, including information on the nomination process, the selection of nominating institutions, and other details can be found on the PCAOB Scholars Program page. All participating institutions, along with the named PCAOB Scholars, are listed below.
View all participating institutions and the PCAOB Scholars at pcaobus.org.
About Appalachian's Accounting Program
The Department of Accounting with Walker College has built a strong reputation for excellence in accounting education, and is highly regarded by accounting employers in North Carolina and throughout the Southeast. Accounting graduates are recruited by the largest international, national, and regional accounting firms as well as local accounting firms, industry and government agencies. The Department of Accounting offers the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) degree and the Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Accounting. The faculty and staff in the department are deeply committed to the success of our students. Learn more online, accounting.appstate.edu.
Megan Winter, a Master of Science in Accounting student at App State, has earned a $10,000 scholarship
Megan Winter