First Annual WSOA Alumnae Dinner!

The first annual WSOA Alumnae Dinner was a HUGE success! Many thanks to all the students, faculty, and alumnae who attended the event. Seventy-five students and twenty-five alumnae enjoyed a three course dinner at The Skyroom Restaurant. The event also included a short program where students heard from Liz Weinberg and Melissa Larson about the "Blessings of an Accounting Degree." This event will be held for many years to come. If you want more information about this event or would like to attend next year, please email BYUWSOA@gmail.com.

WSOA Alumnae Dinner

On December 8 at 7pm the WSOA Committee will be hosting the first Alumnae Dinner. We have invited over 40 alumnae and all of the current female students. This will be a great opportunity for current students to learn about post graduation opportunities from alumnae.

If you would like more information or an invitation, please email the WSOA at BYUWSOA@gmail.com

Accounting 200/310 Information Session

On October 20 we held our Accounting 200/310 Information Session! The event was a great success as 65 prospective students were in attendance. This was a great opportunity for prospective students to learn more about the prerequisite courses, the application process, the junior core, and career opportunities. We were lucky enough to have Dr. Stocks kick off the meeting by discussing why we need more women in our program. After the program, prospective students ate lunch and mingled with the WSOA committee members and learned more about the benefits of an accounting education.

Dr. Stocks speaks to students

Emily Wood talks about the application process

Students enjoying lunch after the program

Lunch with the Ladies

The WSOA committee welcomed the newest group of SOA women to our Lunch with the Ladies last week. We invited the Junior Core ladies to join us for a break from studying to eat good food, celebrate completion of the infamous Waren Case, and hear from Jonyce Bullock, a partner at Squire. 

We had a great turnout! The Junior Core women who attended met women in the next levels of the accounting program and asked questions about what to expect for the rest of their time in the SOA. 

Here are some shots of our lovely attendees! 

The event concluded with a few words from Jonyce Bullock. She shared her experiences of entering the work force after her husband was diagnosed with a serious illness. She has since made partner at Squire and is able to support her family while her husband remains home with their children. 

Jonyce expressed gratitude for degree from BYU's accounting program and that it has allowed her to face unexpected challenges that have come up in her life. She was a terrific speaker! We look forward to seeing her at future WSOA events. 

What is the WSOA?

The WSOA's main focus is to “encourage female students to come into the School of Accountancy (“SOA”) and to enhance the experience and address the needs of female students in the WSOA.”

Encourage female students to come into the School of Accountancy – The female population in the BYU SOA is far less than the female population in other accounting programs and in the workforce. In the 2011, 23% of students admitted to the junior core were female (21% in 2010, 23% in 2009, 26% in 2008). According to a 2009 AICPA study, 53% of accounting students were female and females accounted for 55% of graduates that were hired by CPA firms. In order to spread awareness of the accounting program, the WSOA holds a freshman information session, Accounting 200/310 information lunch session, and an awareness campaign throughout campus.

Enhance the experience and address the needs of the female students in the WSOA – The WSOA strives to facilitate the success of current students by providing information about career options tailored to their needs and by connecting current and past students. In both the fall and winter semesters the WSOA hosts a “Women in Accounting” panel for all WSOA students. The panels consist of SOA alumnae pursuing a variety of life paths, including full-time and part-time professional work, as well as homemaking. Panelists share their experience using their accounting degree to achieve both their professional and personal goals. A lunch panel was debuted in 2011 for officers in the Salt Lake Chapter of the American Women’s Society of CPAs (“AWSCPA”) to discuss professional and networking issues with WSOA students interested in working in Utah. In addition, the WSOA encourages mentoring relationships between current female students and SOA alumnae through the SOA alumnae database. SOA alumnae are invited to establish a profile in this database in order to encourage mentoring relationships with our female students. Currently the database contains 269 alumnae profiles.

Recent WSOA events!

Here are the latest events that the WSOA committee has been involved with:

• A booth at the major fair in order to spread the word that accounting is the BEST major on campus!
• A second panel which featured Joni Lusty, Tina Hill, and Sue Robison. These three women shared insights on careers, families, work-life balance, and more. It was a great opportunity for all in attendance to hear from these three alum and ask questions about what awaits us after graduation.
• Accounting 200/310 Information Session where current students and faculty shared insights about why they chose accounting and the opportunities that come from the program. Prospective students learned about the application requirements and what to expect once they enter the program. Afterwards, prospective students mingled with current students and learned more about what life is really like as an accounting student.

"Women in Accounting"---eye opener article!!!

Please do yourselves a favor and read this awesome article about Women in Accounting that pinpoints why the Accounting profession has been struggling recently to retain women in the profession and why we don't let ourselves reach our full potential. I think this article gives very insightful advice for us and our role in closing the gender gap in the Accounting profession. This is a "Must" reading so go ahead and enjoy!!!

http://www.cpa2biz.com/Content/media/PRODUCER_CONTENT/Newsletters/Articles_2011/Career/WomenAccounting.jsp

Women in the School of Accountancy Panel Fall 2010

The WSOA Panels are always so much fun!!! This is one of the most important events that the WSOA puts together and we will be having one this Winter semester that you won't wanna miss.

This past semester we had the opportunity to have a wide variety of panelists. The WSOA always tries to bring diverse women who are or have been involved in the Accounting profession in different ways. This way students can learn about all the many options that an Accounting degree has to offer them. For example this year we had the opportunity to enjoy the company of outstanding women which included:

Melissa Larson: who has worked for Grant Thornton in their tax department and is currently a BYU professor in the MAcc program.

Paige Foote: who is a recent BYU graduate and is currently working at Hawkins Cloward & Simister, a local firm.

Molly Zarbock: who worked with a public accounting firm for 4 years and currently works at 1-800 Contacts as Assistant Controller.

Joni Lusty: Recruiter for Ernst & Young, graduated with MAcc from BYU and began her career at Ernst & Young initially as an Auditor.

Kori Crookston: Received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from BYU and worked part time while raising her children.

One thing that I love is that during these events is the great environment that we create in which all the students can feel safe asking any questions they may have about Accounting in general, how to balance life and work, career paths, work options, time management, how to manage their own business, etc... Our panelists are always very nice ladies who have been successful on whatever they have chosen to do with their degrees.

Also, it is great to bring friends together from previous Jr. Core generations as it turns out that Prof. Larson, Molly and Joni were in the same Jr. Core class here at BYU.

We love to invite amazing women to help all of you very talented students who are curious about all the amazing things Accounting has to offer so come to the next one on March 31st. Put it on your calendar.

Students engaged in the panelists comments and great advice!

Here we have our panelists from top left:

Paige, Kori, then starting from front left we have Prof. Larson, Molly and Joni.

Our panelists are always very energetic and dynamic and this panel was not the exception for sure.