Three Stetson students, pictured with Florida Institute of CPAs (FICPA) Chair Kenneth J. Strauss, far left, and FICPA Educational Foundation Trustee Brandon S. Perry, far right, have been awarded scholarships from the Volusia County chapter of the FICPAs. The students and the scholarships they earned include:

• Viktoria Kantor Kazsamer – George E. Shierling Scholarship (pictured second from left)
• Alyssa Thompson Lindsley – Robert Russell Harris Endowment Scholarship (pictured center)
• Hidi A. Taylor – FICPA Educational Foundation Scholarship (pictured second from right).

“The accounting faculty are extremely proud of the academic achievements of these three students,” said Mike Bitter, Ph.D., C.P.A., Rinker Distinguished Professor of Accounting and Chair of the M.E. Rinker, Sr. Institute of Tax and Accounting. “They have worked extremely hard and are well deserving of the scholarships. Special thanks to the FICPA Educational Foundation for their financial support of these awards.”

Two of the scholarships are named after Stetson alumni — George Shierling and Robert Harris — who have provided significant service to the FICPA and the accounting profession in Florida, according to Bitter. Both Shierling and Harris are past presidents of FICPA, and served in other volunteer capacities for that organization.

“On behalf of the Volusia County Chapter, we would like to thank Stetson University for all the great work they do in upholding a long-standing tradition of excellence in accounting education,” said Jerome Cruitt, treasurer of the chapter and a financial consultant with Cruitt Consulting. “From my interaction with each student, it was clearly evident why they were selected, as their professionalism, enthusiasm and genuine interest were readily apparent.”

Stetson University graduates with a bachelor’s degree had the highest overall pass rate in Florida (84.6 percent) on the Uniform Certified Public Accountant exam in 2012, according to results released by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). According to NASBA, the next highest pass rate was only 63.4 percent; Stetson was first out of 24 schools reporting.

In addition, the overall pass rate for Stetson graduates with a bachelor’s degree who were taking the test for the first time is 75 percent, also the highest pass rate in Florida. These are typically students who have earned a bachelor’s degree and take sections of the CPA exam while enrolled in the Master of Accountancy (M.Acc.) program.

FICPA Educational Foundation scholarships are available to degree-seeking students with a major in accounting who have completed their junior year by the time the scholarship is awarded. Applicants must be planning to sit for the CPA exam and have a desire to practice in the field of accounting in Florida. More information on the scholarships can be found at FICPA.org.

At Stetson the scholarship application process runs through the Accounting department, and students are identified by the faculty based on grades, future career plans and financial need. Stetson students who are interested in being considered should contact Linda Bateman in the Accounting department at 386-822-7415.