Indiana Wesleyan University accounting students exceed the national average CPA exam first-time pass rate by nearly 14 percent, according to a recent assessment of the Indiana Wesleyan University accounting program.
The CPA Exam is administered to those who wish to become a certified public accountant. In order to sit for the test, a student must complete at least 150 credit hours.
There are approximately 60 accounting majors and minors enrolled in the accounting program. The major combines rigorous course work with practical experience to prepare students for their future careers. In order to gain as much experience as possible, 100 percent of IWU accounting students complete an internship, work with a non-profit organization or take an international business course, which concludes in an international trip.
Assistant Professor of Business Kent Williams, CPA, CGMA, and Associate Professor of Business Matthew Mize, JD, CPA, recently expanded the program's initiatives by allowing students to work a full-time position at a public accounting firm during the spring semester of their junior or senior year. According to Williams, this opportunity significantly builds upon a student's knowledge of the accounting profession and increases post-graduation success.
Accounting and Finance double major Jordan Harris ('16) is one such student who is spending her spring semester interning with McGladrey at the Greensboro, North Carolina location.
"From my employer's standpoint I was expected to come into this internship knowing nothing; however, I have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of material I use on a daily basis that I have learned in my classes at IWU. My professors have taught me a foundation upon which my experiences will continue to build on as I move forward in my career," Harris said.
IWU accounting graduates are gaining employment with top accounting firms in Indiana such as Crowe Horwath, McGladrey, Greenwalt, Deloitte & Touche, BGBC Partners, Sikich and Somerset CPA's. IWU accounting graduates are also employed with Ernst & Young in Chicago and PWC in Dallas.
Williams states, "We want to continue building upon the solid foundation of the accounting program and focus on enhancing the opportunities for our students."