EY sponsors Creighton accounting course

The Heider College of Business enjoys a close relationship to the business world, especially with the greater Omaha business community. Evidence of this connection runs the gamut: sponsored scholarships, named classrooms, advisory council participation and networking events.

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Now, EY and the Heider College of Business accounting program have collaborated on an upper-level accounting course. EY Intermediate Accounting (ACT 313) is a required course that introduces students to the fundamentals of public accounting practice.

The course is offered only in the fall semester, just when interview season and firm events are gearing up and students are exploring internship opportunities with a minor understanding of what a career in public accounting resembles.

“Most students have only taken the two principles of accounting courses when they register for ACC 313, so they have very little information about public accounting firms, the lines of business in public accounting firms, CPA exams and licensure requirements, opportunities that leverage accounting degrees, the difference between public and private accounting, the significance of analytics in the accounting profession, etc.,” says Maggie Knight, BSBA’01, DBA’18, CPA, chair of the Department of Accounting and Business Intelligence and Analytics.

Over her years of teaching, Knight has collected questions about their future careers from students. In EY Intermediate Accounting, Knight invites EY professionals to deliver responses to these questions in various formats, including video and live “guest lecturing.” Such topics include how to transition from public to private accounting, what activities can students engage in during the college years to position themselves for career success, and what disciplines are best paired with accounting.

“We are partnering with EY so that the ‘accounting profession’ module that runs throughout the course can really be supported and branded by EY,” Knight says. “It brings greater variety to the class and allows EY to be ‘present’ throughout the semester in various formats.”

In addition to assisting with instruction, EY has continued its history of financial support to the college by committing $25K in scholarships for 2022-2023 and the next two years. A portion of the money is earmarked for Master of Accounting (MAC) students.

This year’s recipients are seniors Taylor Rowland, Nathan Schumacher, Maxwell Schutze, who are completing the accelerated MAC program this year; junior Luke Gilbert, who will complete the accelerated MAC program next year; and senior Grace Shehan, who will begin her master's classes this spring and will complete her MAC in fall 2024. All students are earning a graduate level Analytics Certificate as part of their MAC coursework.

“These scholarships provide a great opportunity for accounting students to pursue an advanced degree while better preparing for the CPA exam and gaining analytics skills through the Analytics Certificate program that is built into the MAC,” Knight says.

The Heider College of Business thanks EY for impacting its students’ education in such a meaningful way.