Breaking the Number Cruncher Stereotype Drake's School of Accounting by Rachel Ballweg BEAN COUNTER. NUMBER CRUNCHER. SPREADSHEET SLAVE. WHILE HOLLYWOOD TYPICALLY CHARACTERIZES ACCOUNTANTS AS NIMBLE-WITH-NUMBER NERDS, TODAY'S ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONALS PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT, MEASUREMENT, ANALYSIS, VALIDATION AND COMMUNICATION OF VITAL ECONOMIC INFORMATION NECESSARY FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS AND THE FINANCIAL INTEGRITY OF THE STOCK MARKET. Drake University's School of Accounting responds to marketplace needs by developing courses and programs that prepares graduates for the demands of current and future business trends. Unlike traditional programs focusing solely on tax law and accounting standards, Drake broadened its accounting course offerings to include finance, marketing, management and information systems in the major, giving students more job options. "The Drake accounting program is truly unique," said Jim Dodd, associate professor of accounting. "There is not another like it anywhere, period. Ten years ago the faculty began asking its alumni what the program required to meet their needs. At the same time, accounting's professional organizations were asking similar questions. The School of Accounting listened and structured a flexible learning experience that spans all semesters of the undergraduate coursework and extends to the graduate level if desired." TWICE THE OPTIONS One option offered by the department is the joint accounting major, which allows students to major in accounting and another program, such as finance. The result is in-depth preparation in two majors providing a competitive advantage for graduates entering the business world. "The joint major opens up the possibility of accounting to a lot of people who otherwise may not study it," said Patrick Heaston, director of the School of Accounting. "It gives finance, marketing and other business majors a much stronger background in accounting, and it gives accounting majors a broader base of expertise. It also prepares students for the Master of Accounting program, should they decide later to pursue the CPA." BUILDING A COMMUNITY A recent addition targeting undergraduate accounting majors is the learning community Get REAL (Residential Experience in Accounting Learning). While it's not the "Real World" of MTV fame, the program provides students with a ready-made social and study group. The Get REAL program sets aside a residence hall floor for accounting majors to live side-by-side, and registers them for several shared classes so students maximize their learning in accounting by working together and building social relationships with the classmates they live with. ADDRESSING GRADUATE NEEDS To meet the needs of students desiring an advanced degree and for those wanting to become CPAs, the School launched the Master of Accounting degree. "The purpose of the graduate program in accounting is to give students a broad preparation and broad understanding of business and the liberal arts so they're well-rounded and highly marketable when they graduate," said Heaston. The degree builds on the strengths of each student by tailoring the curriculum to the individual's prior course work and future career goals. "It helped me become passionate about a career in accounting," said Sara Beth Richard, GR'00, treasury analyst at Hallmark Cards, Inc. in Kansas City, MO, of her experience at Drake. "I was challenged to master subject matter and internalize things rather than memorize or learn just enough to get by. The teaching staff pushed me without being discouraging, and that helped me learn the self-discipline necessary to be successful now in the workplace." For more information about the School of Accounting, check out the Web site at www.drake.edu/cbpa/acctg/index.html.
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