Two Southern Miss MPA Students Named PCAOB Scholars

Thu, 09/25/2025 - 09:46am | By: Bailey Harris Shoemake

Nila Griffin and Laura Stovall, two graduate students in the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) program at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), have been selected as recipients of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Scholarship, a prestigious national award recognizing outstanding accounting students across the country. The PCAOB Scholars Program provides financial support to students who demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to the accounting profession.

“We are deeply thankful for the PCAOB scholarships granted to our deserving students,” said Dr. Blaise M. Sonnier, director of the School of Accountancy. “These awards will significantly support Nila and Laura in being prepared for a career in accounting and achieving their goal of obtaining the academic qualifications needed to pursue CPA licensure. We are appreciative of those who provide financial support for our students to provide them with the time to be dedicated to their studies."

Nila Griffin, a native of Miss., earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Southern Miss in May 2025 and is now continuing her studies in the MPA program. She has gained valuable experience through internships with TMH and Mississippi Power. At TMH, she prepared tax returns and worked with the governmental audit team, while her time with Mississippi Power allowed her to prepare customer performance reports and complete assignments within the regulatory department.

“I am so thankful to be named one of the PCAOB Scholars,” Griffin said. “I work to pay for school, so this scholarship relieved that stress and allows me to concentrate on studying for the CPA exam.”

Laura Stovall, who earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Mississippi State University, is pursuing her graduate degree at Southern Miss after being drawn to the supportive environment she felt from faculty and staff in the College of Business and Economic Development.

“Ms. Amber Hatten has played a key role in my decision to attend Southern Miss for my graduate studies,” Stovall shared. “When we first met, I left feeling like the faculty and staff at Southern Miss really wanted me to succeed.”

Stovall completed internships with Harper, Rains, Knight and Company (HRK) in Ridgeland, Miss., and Forvis Mazars in Jackson, Miss. Both experiences gave her hands-on exposure to auditing, networking opportunities, and an introduction to the demands of tax season. After graduation, both recipients plan to pursue their CPA licenses and begin careers in public accounting.

Amber Hatten, director of the MPA program at Southern Miss, praised both recipients for their achievements.

“It is such an honor to have the opportunity to work alongside incredible students like Nila and Laura in the MPA program at Southern Miss,” said Hatten. “They are both exceptional students with bright futures, and we are very fortunate to have them pursuing their graduate degrees and working towards their CPA licensure while enrolled as MPA students at Southern Miss. We take our role of helping students be ready for life and ready for careers in the accounting profession very seriously, and we are so grateful to the PCAOB for recognizing and rewarding our hardworking, talented, and deserving students in this meaningful and significant way with these scholarships.”

About the PCAOB Scholars Program

Since 2011, the PCAOB has administered a scholarship program for undergraduate and graduate accounting students enrolled in accredited U.S. colleges and universities. The PCAOB Scholars Program is mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and is funded through monetary penalties collected as part of PCAOB enforcement actions. Click here to learn more about the program.