DePaul University’s School of Accountancy & MIS hosted its annual luncheon for community college accounting faculty on the university’s Loop Campus on Oct. 28, reviving an important tradition that had paused temporarily due to the pandemic. Nearly 20 faculty members attended from Chicago-area colleges, including College of DuPage, Harper, Triton, Harold Washington and Oakton, to exchange ideas on how to better support the transfer student experience.
Other attendees included DePaul faculty who sit on the school’s community college outreach committee, five DePaul transfer students who shared their stories and contributed to the roundtable discussions, and representatives from DePaul’s Community College Partnerships office and business college Undergraduate Programs office.
“Transfer students make up a large percentage of accounting students at DePaul,” says Hui Lin, director of the School of Accountancy & MIS. “We want to ensure every transfer student has a smooth transition into DePaul and succeeds in their classes. The luncheon provided the perfect opportunity for us to network with our accounting colleagues from community colleges and gain their insight on how to better support transfer students.”
The event also was an opportunity for community college faculty to learn about the school’s latest program and curriculum updates, including how the school is currently preparing students for CPA Evolution. Attendees also gained valuable information about DePaul’s Accountancy Transfer Scholars Program—which offers new students enrolling in the summer or fall the chance to rapidly advance their academic work and gain access to important internship opportunities as soon as their first term. The luncheon concluded with a brief tour of the Loop Campus.
“I am grateful to DePaul for hosting this luncheon,” shares Leslie AW Van Wolvelear, chair and distinguished professor of accounting at Oakton Community College. “The event provided important information about the transfer student experience. It is helpful to hear first-hand from recent transfer students about how beneficial the Accountancy Transfer Scholars Program was to help with career coaching, resume writing and interview skills. Oakton Community College will continue to partner with DePaul University faculty on curriculum to provide students the best possible transfer experience.”
By Nadia Alfadel Coloma