Director's Update

It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of Samuel T. Battaglia, PhD. As many of you know, Sam was an esteemed member of the School of Accountancy faculty, serving as Associate Professor from 1969 - 2003. Our hearts go out to Sam's family and friends and all those in our DU community whose lives were touched by his presence. There will be a recitation of the Rosary at 10:30 a.m. and a Memorial Mass at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church, 6853 S. Prince St., Littleton, CO 80120 on March 10, 2017. Our hearts go out to Sam's family and friends and all those in our DU community whose lives were touched by his presence.

Earlier this week, we welcomed Mallory Bennett (BSACC, MACC, '16) back to campus for a presentation on her experiences as a Postgraduate Technical Assistant for the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). Mallory is currently serving a one-year term at FASB and is involved with the accounting standards-setting process, specifically looking at the disclosure framework. We are especially proud of our FASB PTAs and thrilled that Mallory was able to come back to her alma mater to encourage and inspire current accounting students.

It is with mixed feelings that we say farewell to Jodye Whitesell. A feeling of sadness to see her go and yet happiness to see her extending her career and pursuing her passion. Jodye has served as the School of Accountancy Program Coordinator since August 2013 after receiving her undergraduate degree from CU Boulder. She received her Professional MBA from DU in November 2016 with a concentration in Marketing and Data Analytics and has accepted the position of Marketing Manager at Slifer, Smith & Frampton – Denver. We will not only miss Jodye’s expertise and enthusiasm but also her ever-present good cheer. Please join me in wishing Jodye all the best in her new career. 

“Thank you all for a wonderful few years at the School of Accountancy. The community surrounding the School is truly unique and it has been an honor to be a part of it. I’m glad I got to know so many of you these past few years and will miss you dearly as I launch into this next phase in my career. Thank you for making me feel so welcome here and for making this such an incredible place to work. I wish you all the best and hope to connect again in the future!” - Jodye Whitesell

School of Accountancy student, Yulianna Zhuk, is this year's DU Student Employee of the Year! Yulianna was chosen as the recipient of this award for her excellent work at the Driscoll Student Center.

Best,

Dr. Sharon Lassar, Director, School of Accountancy

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Upcoming Events

It's quiet around here this month! Check out daniels.du.edu/events for future events.


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Get to Know Your Network

Meet Alumnus Andrew McClaskey (BSACC, MACC '15)

Andrew and his family have deep roots in Colorado. He was born in Boulder and grew up in Broomfield, where his parents still reside. Andrew’s brother is still in Colorado, too; he and his wife live in Erie. While growing up, Andrew’s family spent summers traveling throughout the state learning about various portions of Colorado history. “I’ve been a huge Rockies fan my entire life and think there isn't a better place to spend a summer evening than at Coors Field, even with the Rockies' lackluster performance as of late.” 

Andrew knew that he wanted to go into business when he began as a freshman at DU, but it wasn't until he took his first accounting course that he thought of pursuing an accounting degree. “During that course, I realized that I enjoyed accounting, and as I learned more about a career in accounting through Beta Alpha Psi, I knew changing my major to accounting would not be a mistake.” Although it came with its share of challenges, Andrew especially enjoyed the intensity of the Accounting Core. “The amount of information students can learn and the growth they experience during the three quarters of the Core is a testament to the program and the professors. In addition, it fosters strong relationships; many members of my cohort are still friends and keep in touch.” Andrew credits the School of Accountancy with much more than building a strong technical foundation. “I was able to improve my writing ability, polish my public speaking skills, and learn to connect with others in the professional community. These skills have been instrumental to my success in the early stages of my career.” 

Studying abroad was another pinnacle experience of Andrew’s time at DU and he explains that his college career would not have been the same without studying abroad, as is the case for many DU students. “I spent a semester studying Mandarin in Beijing, China but I was also able to travel throughout China and Southeast Asia.”  

Andrew recently completed the extremely prestigious year-long program as a Postgraduate Technical Assistant (PTA) at the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in Norwalk, CT. Each year, 12 - 14 graduates from across the country are selected to take part in the standard setting process. “This opportunity allowed me to see a different side of the accounting world and analyze accounting issues from various perspectives. The PTAs are very close and we would spend time together outside of work; one of my favorites was the softball team” (pictured, above). During his time as a PTA, Andrew worked on two main projects: 1) Insurance and 2) Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) activities. He found that the two projects provided a well-rounded experience. “First, the Insurance project is broad and required me to start from square one, as I had no prior experience with insurance accounting. Second, the EITF activities were narrow and often covered topics with which I was familiar, such as the statement of cash flows.” 

The FASB experience helped Andrew realize that he enjoys continuously learning about new things. He explains that there were plenty of resources at the FASB that he could leverage to explore a new area of accounting or issue in the capital markets.  “Additionally, the staff who have years of experience were willing to discuss and answer my questions.”   

Following graduation and prior to Andrew’s start date at the FASB, he traveled to Colombia and visited a coffee plantation where the farmer educated him about the entire process of coffee production. That trip sparked his interest in learning about coffee: different beans, roasting methodology and presentation. “If I am not working, you can usually find me in a coffee shop with my nose in a book; right now, I'm reading The Monuments Men by Robert Edsel.” Andrew’s Colorado blood also pushes him to be active. “I enjoy running, skiing, and yoga and am currently training for a half marathon in Rhode Island.” 

The future is looking very bright for Andrew. He recently accepted a position as Senior Consultant with Deloitte's Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory practice in New York City.  He hopes to participate in a global rotation and get back to China during his career. 

Alumni Notes

Congratulations to R.G. Bud Phelps (BS,'58), pictured at right. He has published three business books and five historical fiction books. His most recent business book, A Fish Tale, is a fictional story about a fishing trip to Canada, where one friend is teaching fishing skills by day and the narrator is teaching accounting skills in the evening. 

Rachelle Barrett Moulton (BSACC, MACC '08) and husband Mickey Moulton welcomed their adorable son, Mickey Charles (pictured at left), on December 15, 2016.  Congratulations, Rachelle and Mickey!

Job Opportunities

NBH Bank is currently seeking a recent graduate to fill the position of Banking Credit Analyst in the Greenwood Village, CO office. For more information, please see the job posting.

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Faculty Updates

Dr. Erin Nickell will be returning from maternity leave for the Spring quarter. Her daughter, Cora, pictured at right, is now 3 months old and full of smiles. Welcome back, Erin!

Dr. Erin Nickell, along with Kelsey Brazel and Sharon Huang from Ball State University, authored a paper titled "Are you depleted? The Role of Ego Depletion in Accounting" which was accepted for publication in Today's CPA Magazine.

Dr. Lisa Victoravich, A.G. Brink, and J. Lowe co-authored a paper titled "The New Public Company Whistleblowing Environment: Perceptions of a Wrongful Act and Monetary Attitude" which was accepted for publication in Accounting & the Public Interest.

Dr. John Tripp was interviewed by 9NEWS about tax preparation. In addition, 9NEWS interviewed Max Schneck, the co-director of the VITA program, on Facebook live.

Kathleen (KED) Davisson and Sharon Lassar arranged and moderated panel discussions for the 2017 Accounting Program Leadership Group/Federation of Schools of Accountancy Joint Seminar in Phoenix. KED’s panel addressed the life cycle of Gen Z’s college experience and Sharon’s panel discussed the value of various certifications.

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On the Lighter Side - Humor from Hugh Grove

Secrets to a long happy marriage

Spring Cleaning

Here's to your Spring cleaning and organizing going better than this. 

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IN THIS ISSUE

Director's Update

Upcoming Events

Get to Know Your Network

Faculty Updates

On the Lighter Side

HAVE ANY EXCITING NEWS?

Promotions, marriages, new babies, major moves, job changes? Let us know! We'll share the news with your alumni family in the Alumni Notes section of our next newsletter. Contact kristen.dimig@du.edu with any updates.

UPDATE CONTACT INFO

If you have a new email address, recently moved, changed employment, got married, or have any other information to update, please do so here. Our alumni are our greatest assets so please keep us updated!

ABOUT US

The School of Accountancy is one of the nation's oldest and most esteemed accounting programs, combining state-of-the-art learning with the personal touch of a small, motivated community to help our students get ahead. Our mission, as a part of a great private university dedicated to the public good, is to foster Enlightened Practice, Professional Achievement, Knowledge Creation and a Commitment to the Community. Our School's students, faculty and alumni work together to ensure that this mission is achieved by producing high quality, meaningful work that advances the field of accounting. As a result, our graduates are armed with the practical skills and knowledge needed to thrive in today's business world.