USM Accounting Major Earns Prestigious Scholarship

Wed, 06/10/2020 - 08:43am | By: Bailey Harris

Alexis Washington of Jackson, Miss., a senior accounting major at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), has been awarded the prestigious Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Scholarship for 2020-21.

Washington is a candidate for Beta Alpha Psi and currently serves as associate director for administration of the Residence Hall Association (RHA) on the Hattiesburg campus.

Only one student from more than 300 colleges and universities nationwide is chosen to receive the $10,000 scholarship each year. The program is merit-based, and eligible students must be enrolled in a bachelor's or master's program in accounting at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, demonstrate interest and aptitude in accounting and auditing, and demonstrate high ethical standards. Washington said she felt like this was “something that only happened in the movies” and is ecstatic to be a recipient.

This is the third year in a row that a student in USM's College of Business and Economic Development has earned the PCAOB scholarship. USM accounting graduates Kameshia Mays and Keiyana Gaskin are previous recipients of the PCAOB Scholarship.

"Alexis Washington is a talented accounting major who is very deserving of the PCAOB Scholarship,” said Dr. Marv Bouillon, director of the USM School of Accountancy. “Over the past three years, we have nominated excellent minority students who are great in the classroom. Thus, we have had a student win a PCAOB scholarship each of the past three years. That is a great accomplishment, because I am not certain USM has ever had three winners in a row.”

Upon graduation next year, Washington plans to sit for the Certified Public Accountants (CPA) exam and pursue her master's degree at Southern Miss.

For information about the USM School of Accountancy, visit https://www.usm.edu/accountancy/index.php.