DCOB accounting education research cited in national accounting journal

Two Davis College of Business faculty members have received national attention for their  success in accounting education research.

Drs. Jill D’Aquilla and Kim Capriotti are cited in the February 2014 issue of Issues in Accounting Education for their commitment to and success in accounting education research, with the article listing Jacksonville University in the top 50 for educational research nationwide. The case study which the two developed is used in accounting courses across the nation at some of the best business schools in the country.

The pair’s paper explains that the more research the faculty completes about accounting education, the better it translates into curriculum and quality of instruction in the classroom.

“It is a great accolade to have been published in a research journal with such a wide distribution amongst the education community,” noted D’Aquilla. “To know that we are able to bring a great program to such great students is very rewarding.”

The accounting program at Jacksonville University in the Davis College of Business has seen many great outcomes for its graduates over the years. Its students have seen a job placement rate of close to 100% following graduation. The accounting faculty has been working diligently with local accounting firms and other organizations to benefit their students’ employability.

Recent accounting graduate Svenja Meyer, originally from Germany, said she owes her success to the faculty.

“They helped prepare me for the CPA exam, helped with interviews and connections with different accounting firms here in Jacksonville,” said Meyer, who began her position as an auditor with Ernst & Young this fall.

Meyer is not the only accounting student who started a job at a large public accounting firm, as more than half of JU’s accounting graduates have been employed by the top four accounting firms in recent years. The accounting faculty is constantly reviewing areas in which they can improve the program for their students, including a recently added Management Accounting and Accounting & Finance track for the graduate MBA programs.

“We are lucky to have a talented and dedicated accounting faculty. We have worked hard over the last seven years to build a quality accounting program and the work is finally paying off,” said Dr. Robert Boylan, Chair of the Accounting and Finance Department. “Our graduates are being well-received in the accounting community.”