As has been done for a number of years, the Dallas CPA Society again awarded scholarships to several bright and deserving students attending colleges and universities in the Chapter’s geographic area. The students (there are six this year) are either graduate accounting students or seniors majoring in accounting at one of the following schools: University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at Arlington, Southern Methodist University, University of North Texas, and Texas A&M – Commerce. The recipients are chosen by the Scholarship committee based on an extensive application that is submitted and due diligence that is subsequently performed by the committee members.
Thanks to each of you who have contributed to the scholarship fund either directly or as part of the dues check-off. Your contribution enables the Chapter to continue to recognize and support some very qualified and deserving future CPAs!
We will spotlight one student in each newsletter and give you a little background information about each of them. If you happen to know one of them, please congratulate them for their accomplishments; they, and others like them, are the future of our profession!
CATHERINE LANG
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
I am from San Antonio, Texas and have lived there for eighteen years. I have a brother who is six years younger than me. While growing up, I was involved in sports (particularly softball) and enjoyed spending my time outdoors. From a young age, my parents taught me the meaning of independence, which has shaped me into the person I am today. My independence motivated me to attend college away from San Antonio. I deeply care about my family and appreciate the sacrifices my parents have made. My mother and I are very close and talk a few times daily. We are alike in many ways; we both are organized, planners, and emotional people. I lean on my mother for advice and support.
I became attracted to the University of North Texas in Denton because of the college’s proximity to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and the culture of the university. Leaving home was the hardest decision in my life, but has led to one of the best outcomes. In December 2009, I will graduate with my MS/BS in Accounting and I could not be more excited. No one in my family has ever pursued graduate school and I am excited about being the first.
I originally decided to major in accounting because the field offers many challenges and rewards. I chose accounting for my study and career choice because accounting is dynamic, coincides with my personality, and allows me to work with others. Accounting is challenging because the answers are never clear cut. Choosing accounting as my study and career choice allows me to fulfill all of my desires in a profession.
I have developed many accounting skills, while attending UNT, but my experiences have ultimately helped me be successful throughout school. Of all my life experiences, I believe my athletic career has had the most positive effect on my accounting education. My favorite sport is softball and I learned quickly that the sport required a lot of hard work in order to be successful. Our softball team practiced non-stop for four hours each day. The practices included defensive drills, hitting off a live pitcher, and running. Often, after a four-hour practice, I would continue to work on my individual offensive skills by attending another two-hour hitting session with a different coach. Although a six hour practice may seem extreme, I knew I had to continue this schedule if I wanted to excel in the sport. Although sports and education are very different from each other, I feel I can relate my experiences in both. I have learned that both sports and education require hard work and perseverance to succeed.
While attending the University of North Texas, I have taken several different accounting classes. Some of the more enjoyable classes include my accounting research class, ethics, and intermediate accounting classes. I recently took an accounting research class that was challenging. Each week I was faced with a different accounting situation and was expected to find a solution to the situation quickly (sometimes I had a two hour deadline). My ethics class was very interesting and we discussed several real life dilemmas in the area of accounting. In today’s business environment, ethics are so important. Finally, my intermediate accounting classes were the heart of accounting where I learned about GAAP. All the tests for my intermediate accounting classes consisted of writing journal entries and documenting FASB statements.
The area of the profession that is the most interesting to me is public accounting. I have completed several internships with some public accounting firms and have found the not-for-profit sector the most appealing. Not-for-profit clients are enjoyable to work with and the experience of learning about each organization’s operations is rewarding. Public accounting is a demanding profession; however, the benefits are tremendous. Every day I face a different challenge and learn something new.
As for the future, I hope to obtain my CPA license, begin working at a public accounting firm, and aid the business community. Accounting will always provide a challenge and allow me the opportunity to interact with unique and talented individuals. I want to personally thank the Dallas CPA Society for providing education funds to students such as myself and I hope one day I can be on the other side donating my time and services to others.
