University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Yearbook (Oxford, MS)

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m The Patterson School of Accountacy at Ole Miss has been ranked for seven consecutive years in the top 30 in the nation and in the top 20 for the past four years by the Public Accounting Report. Last year it was ranked as number 10, PHOTOS TYLER JACKSON 26

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The Universily of Mississippi has been gro ing and impro ing in the lasl decade. The ne ( step is to better develop graduate education. ' QUOTE JOHN Z KISS Our universily has been improving itself for the past decade not just in campus renova- tion but on the education quality. The university ' s graduate school is no exception to striving for the best. The University of Mississippi has been growing and improving in the last decade, says Dean John Z. Kiss, dean of the gradu- ate school. The next step in this process is to better develop graduate education at the university. Dr. Kiss is a newcomer to the university from his position as a distinguished prolessor and chair of botany at Miami University in Ohio. Dr. Kiss is internationally known for his research in botany and space technology. His research has received as much as five million in funding from organizations such as NASA. Dr. Kiss sought on his promise to cultivate a strident learning environment at the Ole Miss graduate school, As new dean of the graduate school, he states, I plan to work with my faculty and administrative colleagues to help improve and expand oraduale education at the University of Mis- sissippi. Since September. Dr. Kiss has ensured that the graduate programs— masters and doctoral— will cr eate the next generation of leaders. The graduate school ' s level of education allows the students to create innovative solu- tions to issues such as climate change, heahh care and education quality. The school provides additional advanced training that is necessary to deal with many complexities ol modern life post-graduation. The craduate school improves not just the graduate students but the undergraduates, too. The graduate students contribute to the university ' s learning environment as teaching assistants, tutors and mentors to the undergrads. This is evidenced in natural sciences courses when the graduate and undergraduates work side-byside in research teams. The graduate students also contribute to the educational quality with funded research projects that draw and welcome interest to the university. Matt Nelms is one such students whose academics elicited national attention. This October, Nelms and his classmate. Graham Jacobs, wrote an award-winning entry in a national paper competition. The paper was initially a class assignment in their graduate engineering program; now it is a second- place entry in the American National Standards Institutes ' inaugural student competition, Hailing from Colorado Springs, Colo., Nelms is pursuing two master ' s degrees: one in mechanical engineering and the other in curriculum and instruction in education. In addition to his workload, he hel])s the Center of Mathematics and Science Education support high school engineering challenges. Ole Miss offers unique research opportu- nities and has a great faculty. says Nelms when explaining on how he chose the Ole Miss graduate school. After reading about the materials science research being done here and the connection with major national labs, the opportunity was too good to pass up. Graduate students like Maria Marion take on a lot of responsibilities. Marion is a native of Memphis. Tcnn. and she is a graduate stu- dent in the Higher Education-Student Per sonncl Program. Marion has been involved in numerous programs on-cam])us and held leader positions in organizations. She has served as the social and philan- thropic director ot the Graduate Student Council. Co-Chair of the Multicultural Working Group, an instructor in the l.Dl IE 105 program, and much more. She has recently been elected to the Board of Directors for National Association of Graduate-Professional Students. Tlie pro- gram serves as the encompassing organiza- tion for all graduate students. Its mission is to provide resources, support, and advocacy to graduate students looking to enter the career world. Marion will begin serving in January 201 J,. Marion has given so much to the university yet she feels that tiie graduate school gave her more. I have truly cnjoyetl my experi- ence. she says, My program specifically !ias opened doors to so many opportunities for professional development through practicum and graduate assistant positions. She adds, Faculty, staff and administra- tion are eager to assist in creating a holistic experience. Nelms agrees. He initially started just pursuing the master ' s in mechanical: now Ik- is looking to improve the mathematics and science education in the high schools. These amazing and unexpected opportuni- ties came aliout, Nelms explains, due to that community and interaction within the graduate school and laculty. STORY CALLIE DANIELS 251

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The Patterson School ol Aecountancy is no stranger to success, being ranked by the Public Accounting Report as one of the top 30 accounting programs in the nation for the past seven years and in the top 20 for the past four years. But in 20 1 1 , the school received its highest ranking in its history: No. i o in the nation. Dean of accountancy. Wallace Wilder, isn ' t shy when it comes to the pride he has tor his school. As of December 201 1, we were the highest ranked accounting program in the SEC. Wilder said. Anytime you can say you ' re number one in the SEC. you ' ve got some good things to talk about. Wilder said one of the main reasons for the school ' s success is the National Library of Accounting Profession, the world ' s largest collection of accounting literature, which is housed on Ole Miss ' campus. That has been a great source of national visibility. Wilder said, We ' ve had professors, researchers, and Ph.D. students from around the country come to this campus because of that library. While Wilder admits the accounting library being on campus certainly gets positive attention, he gives the majority of the credit to the award-winning faculty of the Patterson School of Accountancy, all of which are certified public accountants. Wilder said that his school values teaching excellence very highly, and four teachers have won the Elsie Hootl Outstanding Teacher .Award, as well as many other awards. That ' s just eviticnce that our faculty is committed to being outstanding teachers, Wilder said. Dale Fleshcr, associate dean, professor of accountancy and Arthur Andersen Lecturer, is one of the most Irctjuenl award- winners. Two of Flesher ' s more recent awards are the Distinguished Achievement in Accounting Education award from ihe American Institute for Certified Public .Accountants and the Distinguished Research anti Creative Achievement avvarcl from the University of Mississippi. I feci lihe m job is jiisl soil of lo cl oul of Ihe way and lei (he sUidenls lake o nei ' ship of Ihe acliyilies we do. QUOTE J RILEY SHAW Flesher said he thinks that one of the reasons he has received so many awards is the amount of time he puts into his research and accountancy in general. A lot of professors will do the amount of research it takes to get promoted and tenure, but to keep up throughout your career is somewhat unusual. he said, Flesher believes that being a separate school of accountancy motivates the laculty to excel as teachers and researchers. We want to prove that this is a great organizational structure for an accounting program and we need to work just a little harder to prove that, he said. Bui Flesher and the accountancy faculty aren ' t the only ones in Conner Mall working to make the Patterson School of Accountancy look good - the honorary organization of Heia Alpha Psi is raking in the awards as well. J. F iley Shaw, associate professor of accountancy instruction and faculty advisor ol the Beta Alpha Psi, refuses to take credit for the success of the chapter. Shaw saiti that in the past four years he ' s been the advisor, the organization has received a superior ranking consecutively and in 20 1 o they receivetl the prestigious Cold Status for their professional events and community service. Patrick Calagan. senior accounting major and Beta Alpha Psi officer, said he owes the Patterson School of Accountancy much and would like to win Gold Status to repay his debt. I think thai by us being successful as officers of Beta Alpha Psi, we can sort of propel our program forward and get a better name for Ole Miss oul there. he said- Shaw said he thinks that what makes the chapter so special is thai students are in control. feel like my job is just sort of to get out of the way and let the students take ownership of the activities wc do. he said. They ' re the ones who deserve all the credit for what our chapter has achieved. STORY BRADLEY BOLEWARE 271