Fisher student earns prestigious scholarship
Fisher School of Accounting student Andres Diaz received the 2020-2021 Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) academic scholarship. The scholarship will cover $10,000 worth of tuition, fees, books and supplies.
Diaz will graduate in May 2021 with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting.
“The scholarship will significantly reduce the financial burden my family must bear to support both me and my two sisters through college,” Diaz said. “It is also a huge personal accomplishment to know that my hard work is being recognized in such an amazing way.”
Diaz completed an audit internship in the summer of 2019 with BDO in Miami and enjoyed learning a lot about how an audit is performed from start to finish and the importance of building a network with coworkers. He begins a fully online internship with Ernst & Young in July 2020. His experience at the Fisher School has also played an integral role in his development.
“The Fisher School has provided me countless opportunities to challenge myself through rigorous coursework and extracurriculars like case competitions,” Diaz said. “Through employment as a student assistant, the Fisher School has also given me an opportunity to look back and help students with similar aspirations. I also gained confidence in my job pursuit with all the recruiting opportunities they provide as a school.”
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that monetary penalties imposed by the PCAOB in its disciplinary proceedings be used to fund merit scholarships for students in accredited accounting degree programs. The PCAOB scholarship program was established to provide a source of funding to encourage outstanding undergraduate and graduate students to pursue a career in auditing.
The scholarship is merit-based and is available to students who meet the following criteria: students who are enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s degree program in accounting, demonstrate an interest and aptitude in accounting and demonstrate high ethical standards. Educational institutions are statistically selected to provide student nominations and are encouraged to consider students from populations that have been historically underrepresented in the accounting profession.
The PCAOB is a nonprofit corporation established by Congress to oversee the audits of public companies in order to protect investors and the public interest by promoting informative, accurate and independent audit reports. The PCAOB oversees the audits of brokers and dealers, including compliance reports filed pursuant of federal securities laws, to promote investor protection.
