Accounting Students Earn Professional Honors

Meghan Stott '12 and Accounting Professor Wayne Saubert

Meghan Stott '12 (right) and Professor of Accounting Wayne Saubert

Two accounting students from Radford University's College of Business and Economics (COBE) have received professional honors.

Heidi Dearstyne, a full-time MBA student, was named one of 23 international Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship winners by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Foundation. Meghan Stott, who graduated in May with an accounting and finance degree, received an award of achievement for "outstanding proficiency" in accounting by the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants.

"My professors really motivated me to get into accounting, and they were persistent and encouraging," said Stott, of Lafayette, Calif. She was nominated for the honor by Dan Davidson, chair of the RU Department of Accounting and Finance. She launches her career this month when she joins the Commonwealth of Virginia as an auditor of public accounts.

As recipient of the Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship, Dearstyne received a $1,000 prize to use during her upcoming second year in the RU MBA program. She was nominated by Helen Roybark, associate professor of accounting.

Heidi Dearstyne (right) and Associate Professor of Accounting Helen Roybark

Heidi Dearstyne (right) and Associate Professor of Accounting Helen Roybark

"The RU MBA program has been a wonderful experience," said Dearstyne, of Roanoke. "Most important to me are the time spent learning with other professionals in the area and the RU faculty, who devote a lot of energy in the classes and provide valuable perspectives."

Dearstyne, formerly a forensic technician, will complete her MBA in spring 2013. She said she is hoping to achieve the Certified Fraud Examiner credential as a complement to her MBA and 10 years of experience in law-enforcement forensics.

COBE Dean Faye Gilbert said, "We are very proud of these students who have earned honors from important organizations. They certainly reflect well on COBE and our accounting faculty and program."

May 29, 2012
Don Bowman
540-831-7523
dbowman@radford.edu