Stetson Student Earns $10K Accounting Scholarship

portrait of Patrick Brundage
portrait of Patrick Brundage
Patrick Brundage

Patrick Brundage, ’17, was awarded $10,000 from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board for his high aptitude and performance in his field — the first Stetson student to win the federal scholarship.

Recently graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, Brundage will use the scholarship to pursue a Master’s of Accounting at Stetson University, in appropriate Double Hatter style.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board was created by Congress through the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to oversee company financial reporting and audits. Fines imposed on companies that violate the rules against financial fraud are used for scholarships for outstanding undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a career in auditing.

Valrie Chambers, Ph.D., Stetson University professor
Valrie Chambers

“Patrick performs academically, but he also performs with a good attitude and a calm but determined demeanor,” said Valrie Chambers, Ph.D., associate professor of Taxation and Accounting, who nominated Brundage on behalf of the department.

She said his ability to maintain his professionalism is what set him apart. “That disposition, the ability to stay calm and focused during ‘busy season,’ will take him very far professionally.”

His time as a Resident Assistant, member in Beta Alpha Psi, the Accounting Honor Society, and working as a tax preparer for the Volunteer Income Tax Association (VITA) attest to that skill.

However, Brundage originally planned to pursue professional baseball, not accounting at all.

“I grew up chasing that dream, but unfortunately my career ended after high school, which was a lot earlier than I had always planned,” said Brundage.

When it came time to decide on a college major, Brundage sought security — especially after seeing how the Great Recession left many people jobless. “I wanted to go into something that would allow me to be of high demand regardless of the state of the economy,” he explained.

Though most people assume math is integral to Brundage’s success, his love of baseball still drives his passion. “My childhood dream of being in the major leagues still exists,” he said. “It’s been tweaked from me being a player to a finance executive.”

Brundage starts the Master of Accounting program in the fall while working as a Graduate Assistant with Stetson’s Health and Wellness department. Upon passing the Certified Public Accountant exam, he hopes to work with Deloitte, an accounting firm where he currently interns for the summer.

“Accounting is critical to the existence of all companies and associations. It could give you the opportunity to be an important part of an organization you’re passionate about,” said Brundage. “I think it’s important for all people to have the opportunity to pursue a career of choice.”

For more information on the scholarship program, visit https://pcaobus.org.

-Veronica Faison