From left: Stewart Goodson, executive director, and Randy Cain,
managing partner at Ernst & Young, present accounting chair
James Groff and College of Business Dean Lynda de la Vina with
a check to establish the E&Y Scholarship Program.

Ernst & Young establishes scholarship program

By Wendy Frost
Director of Communications, College of Business

(April 8, 2009)--The UTSA Department of Accounting and Ernst & Young have created the Ernst & Young Accounting Opportunity Program to aid the department's efforts to increase the number of CPA-ready students enrolled in the 150-hour program.

The scholarship program will name five Ernst & Young Scholars each year. This year’s recipients are Gabriel Aceves Degollado, Noemi Grullon, Briana Ramirez, Paola Resendez and Kari Weiland.

The Ernst & Young Foundation, the Ernst & Young local office and UTSA E&Y alumni have committed $50,000 over the next two years to establish the Ernst & Young Accounting Scholarship for students pursuing their master’s degrees through the 150-hour program.

Gifts from alumni, matched by the Ernst & Young Foundation, support the faculty mentorship program as well as outreach activities to ensure the program's success. Fundraising efforts kicked off last fall when Ernst & Young hosted the second annual Accounting Alumni Mixer at the College of Business. Martha Fasci, associate professor of accounting, was named the E&Y faculty mentor.

"Through this collaboration with Ernst & Young, we can encourage our students to continue their education by participating in the 150-hour program and becoming CPA-ready upon graduation," said James Groff, chair of the Department of Accounting. "We value this partnership and hope to encourage all of our accounting students to pursue this educational path."