News and Events
Evidence abounds that Tennessee Tech’s accounting program ranks among the strongest accounting programs in the Southeastern United States. This page provides a sample of recent good news.
TENNESSEE’S TOP STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The Tennessee Society of CPAs (TSCPA) recognized TTU accounting senior Rachel Randles at the Society’s annual student night on November 17, 2009.
Ms. Rachel Randles, daughter of Gary & Becky Randles was chosen from among 182 top accounting students from across Tennessee to receive the top scholarship award of $2500. Pictured here is 2009 TSCPA President, David Curbo, presenting the award plaque to Rachel on 11/17/2009. Sixty TTU accounting students and area practitioners attended the awards dinner. Rachel has also been chosen to receive TSCPA's top 2010 award.
TENNESSEE’S TOP 2008 CPA EXAM SCORE
Further confirmation of the quality of the accounting program came in September of 2009 when it was announced that Vladamir Haralambiev (TTU 2008) had earned Tennessee’s top 2008 CPA exam score.
Dr. Melanie Earles says Vladimir "felt incredibly fortunate to be able to attend TTU and he made every minute count". Dr. R. Dan Fesler adds that Vladimir is not only an extraordinary academic but is also one of the finest young men to ever complete the accounting program at TTU.
With Vladimir's help, TTU's accounting students scored at the 95th national percentile on the spring 2008 ETS exit exam mentioned see "oustanding Exit Exam Scores" below).
TOPS IN ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEWS
Accounting continues to have more on-campus interviews than any single major on the TTU campus. Word is out that TTU accountants are among the best in the Southeast as evidenced by the department’s 9/24/2009 Meet-the-Firms event.
A total of 32 accounting employers participated in this annual September event. Many of the attending organizations returned for on-campus interviews later in the fall 2009 semester.
OUTSTANDING EXIT EXAM SCORES
TTU’s Accounting seniors scored at the 95th percentile in spring 2008, at the 90th percentile in spring of 2009, and at the 90th percentile again as recently as springl semester of 2010. These outstanding scores were achieved on the ETS exit exam which is administered to graduating seniors in business at over 500 US universities!
FACILITATING CAREER CHANGE TO ACCOUNTING
To facilitate changing careers, the department continues to offer a full roster of upper-division accounting courses totally online. Individuals may use these courses to satisfy the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy’s requirements to sit for the Uniform CPA examination.
HOMECOMING EVENT 10/31/2009
Every year the department has a complimentary homecoming day luncheon at 12:00 noon. As shown here, the 2009 event was well-attended. All accounting alum are invited to join us at this event each year on Homecoming day at 12:00 Noon. Attendees receive complimentary lunch and football game tickets.
VOTE OF CONFIDENCE: EXIT INTERVIEW REPORT
TTU graduating seniors continue to report very high levels of satisfaction with the accounting program. As part of the department’s face-to-face exit interviews, students are asked to respond, via a 7-point Likert scale, to a barrage of statements concerning the quality of their accounting program. Selected mean responses from three (3) recent semesters where 1=strongly disagree to 7=strongly agree:
| Fall 2009 |
Spring 2009 |
||
| The quality of teaching in my accounting courses was excellent. | 6.31 | 6.19 | |
| I would recommend TTU’s acct. program to a close friend. | 6.85 | 6.68 | |
| If beginning college again today, I would choose acct. as a major again. | 6.54 | 6.59 |
The department greatly appreciates this regular vote of confidence from its students.
APPROXIMATELY 100 PARTICIPATE IN SUMMER 2009 ALUMNI INITIATIVE
In summer of 2009, alumni were invited to attend luncheons with Chairman Fesler in Chattanooga, Cookeville, Knoxville, and Nashville. In all, approximately 100 accounting alumni participated. Partners, Managers, and staff in CPA firms, officers in internal audit departments, controllers in industrial companies, as well as financial officials working in government, and other positions, participated. Goal is to have breakfast or lunch with another 60-80 of the department's alumni in 2010.
PROGRAM OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
In fall of 2007, the department launched a program of continuing education for accounting practitioners. In the past year, the department has hosted five (5) of these events.
Every year, over 100 practitioners attend a Federal Tax Update at Hyder-Burks Pavilion. In 2009, over 100 ministers, church treasurers and other religious organization officials, as well as several CPAs, attended our annual “Tax Issues Facing Churches & The Clergy” seminar.
CHAIRMAN FESLER: TSCPA BOARD MEMBER
The TTU accounting program takes special pride in its unusually strong connection with practicing professionals.
Dr. R. Dan Fesler, Chair of the department, currently serves as President of the Upper Cumberland Chapter of Tennessee Society of CPAs (TSCPA). In March of 2009, Dr. Fesler was appointed to the statewide Board of Directors. This position serves to keep TTU’s accounting program connected with current accounting practice as well as Tennessee’s 8500 TSCPA members.
CONSIDER/CONTACT US
The department encourages all bright and hard-working individuals looking for rewarding career opportunities to consider accounting and the accounting major at TTU. Contact Ms. Paula Caudill at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
for more information.
