Dr. Bill Shaw (Accounting) and Dr. Brian Davenport (Organizational Leadership), along with community partner Ms. Ana Fortson (Spokane County Superior Court), received the award for Excellence in Community-Based Teaching and Learning for their presentation “Test Driving Career Through Community Engagement: A Guardianship Auditing Project”.  The Award for Excellence in Community-Based Teaching and Learning is a recognition for excellence in a scholarship of community-based teaching and learning. Presenters in this area explored how their teaching and students’ work in the community helped to advance outcomes for our neighborhoods or around critical-issue areas.

Dr. Beth Halaas (Social Work), Dr. Bipasha Biswas (Social Work), along with community partner Dr. Rumyana Kudeva (Spokane Regional Health District), received award for Excellence in Community-Based Research for their presentation “Co-Constructing Strategies for Addressing Structural Inequality in Refugee and Immigrant Communities (SSIRI) in Spokane, Washington”.  The Award for Excellence in Community-Based Research recognizes a community-based research. Award recipients advanced a project applying disciplinary expertise to a problem in the community in order to address and solve a critical issue.

See the link below for the event program:

CEI 2023 Program

Accounting Students Learn as They Serve

Jessica Kong, a Lecturer in Professional Accounting, served as the Honorary Coach for the EWU Men’s Basketball team during their home game vs. UC Davis, Saturday, December 17.  Assistant Coach Mark Darnall writes, “We host an “Honorary Coach” during our home games throughout the season with different faculty and staff across campus. Our “Honorary Coach” program gives select faculty and staff across campus the insight in the life of what our student-athletes go through on a game day!”  Three of Jessica’s ACCT 251 students, Ethan Price, Cedric Coward, and Casey Jones (shown above), suggested she be invited to serve as an Honorary Coach.

As part of her honorary status, Jessica enjoyed a pregame team meal, received a signed basketball, had a picture taken at center court prior to tip-off, and enjoyed special 6th Man Club baseline seating with her family.  Jessica writes, “It was a wonderful experience! I’m proud to be an instructor at EWU!”.

Thank you to the Men’s Basketball Team and EWU Athletics. Go Eags!

As we emerge from the pandemic, EWU’s School of Professional Accounting (SoPA) is re-imagining their curriculum and its delivery, as well as expanding opportunities for experiential learning. “We want to meet students where they are,” notes Christine Kuglin, former chair of the SoPA. “Students prefer to work and remain in their home communities while attending school. Online classes enhance students’ ability to manage their schedules, from anywhere they choose and stay close to their families.”

What does this change mean for students?

• All accounting courses will be offered online beginning Fall 2022, permitting maximum scheduling flexibility. By Fall of 2024, students will be able to earn their Bachelor and Master of Professional Accounting degrees completely online. Two-hundred-level courses will continue to be offered in person as well as online.
• Experiential leaning opportunities will be expanded in response to input from local accounting professionals. These opportunities include the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, known as VITA, and a Guardianship Audit Program with their local courts. In both programs, students will help their home communities while gaining valuable work experience.
• A new course, Accounting Career Preparation, will be added to the curriculum to facilitate interactions with the local accounting communities and help students gain valuable work-related skills.
• Additional internships will be created in the students’ home communities with their local accounting firms.
• Accounting will be offering additional technical courses in response to changes upcoming in the 2024 CPA exam:
  • Accounting Information Systems (AIS)
  • Data Analytics
• Additional tax courses will be added to address a new emphasis in CPA Exam tax advising concentration.
• A branch Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi will be established for students to participate in the highly regarded honors program while remaining in their home communities.

For additional information please contact Duanning Zhou, dzhou@ewu.edu.

The College of Professional Programs is very proud to highlight Beta Alpha Psi (BAP), an organization of students pursuing degrees and careers in accounting, finance, and information systems.

EWU’s Beta Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Chapter (#110), strives to shape the future of financial and business information professions by helping club members develop into ethical, professional, and confident leaders. Membership is open to all EWU undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate students with an interest in accounting, finance, or information systems. 

Beta Alpha Psi members are EWU’s top accounting and finance students! They are driven, passionate, and ready to take their future careers seriously. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with BAP members the past 4 years. I have gotten to watch each of them grow and become more confident throughout their time as members.

–Nikki Schroeder, Faculty Advisor 

BAP has a three-fold focus of presenting available career path opportunities, providing networking opportunities with like-minded peers and professionals, and creating opportunities to give back to the community through organized and individual service events. Despite the pandemic, BAP has continued efforts to connect students with a variety of professionals. 

The mission of Beta Alpha Psi, the premier international honor and service organization for financial and business information students and professionals, is to inspire and support excellence by: encouraging the study and practice of accountancy, finance, and information systems; providing opportunities for service, professional development, and interaction among members and financial professionals; and fostering lifelong ethical, social, and public responsibilities.

There are various ways club members can learn and network with finance and accounting professionals. Every other Thursday, from 5 – 6 pm during each quarter, professionals present topics related to their various fields. “May will be a busy month for our organization,” reports Vice President of Events, Tina Meland. The club is working with EWU Career Center on an event featuring free professional headshots followed by a presentation by LinkedIn. The club will wrap up the month’s activities by hosting the Spring Banquet for all finance and accounting students on Wednesday, May 25. Students can register here: https://ewu.joinhandshake.com/edu/events/1037180.

In addition to networking opportunities and career path exploration, members describe other benefits of membership. According to Mike Hays, current Vice President of Membership, “anyone wanting to pursue a career in accounting or a related field can benefit through participation in Beta Alpha Psi.”

Beyond the jobs and networking opportunities provided by the club, it is a community. Having attended a national event virtually, it is very apparent to me that while certain aspects of our chapter are unique, the overall culture of the organization is relatively uniform across the country. This uniformity makes it easy to relate to members from other chapters and alumni of the organization.

–Mike Hays

. . . my communication and leadership skills are continuously improving. I have enjoyed networking with local CPA firm professionals through the chapter’s events. I have had the opportunity to work with a great team this year. The other officers continue to contribute their skills and time to the organization. I love my team and we love to work together.

–Julie Moore

Being a BAP officer on top of doing school and working full time has been challenging, but it is really worth the effort. I was able to network with many firms and have many ideas for my career path…

–Linh Nguyen

Julie Moore, the current club President, has clear advice for EWU students- 

Join Beta Alpha Psi as early as you can if you are interested in accounting or finance. By becoming a candidate member, you will start building your professional reputation, create relationships with fellow members, develop better communication skills, and enhance your university experience.

–Julie Moore

Through networking, service work, and club involvement, members of BAP have clearly formed strong bonds. Current Treasurer Linh Nguyen, like other club members, would like to stay in touch. “The BAP officers have been a solid supporter team for me during senior year at EWU. I have learned so much from each of them and would love to hear about everyone’s journey.” Others, like Mike Hays, also plan to assist BAP as an alumni member throughout their careers. 

To learn more about the Delta Sigma Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, visit: https://www.ewu.edu/cpp/business/student-organizations/beta-alpha-psi/