OXFORD, Miss. – Big Four accounting firm KPMG LLP has
established the KPMG Professorship in Accountancy at the
University of Mississippi.
In 2002, several KPMG partners established a lectureship in
accountancy, a position that requires a $250,000
commitment. Now KPMG partners and other employees have
committed to growing the fund to more than $500,000 to fund
a full professorship.
“We understand the goals and objectives of the Patterson
School of Accountancy, and we’re happy to step it up and
continue our support,” said Matt Lusco, managing partner in
the Memphis, Tenn., and Birmingham, Ala., KPMG offices and
a UM alumnus. “We benefit a lot from the outstanding talent
that’s available to us, and we hire a number of Ole Miss
graduates in many of our offices around the country. We’re
proud of our partnership with the Patterson School and hope
to keep growing this position until it reaches the endowed
chair level.”
Besides financial support, KPMG has granted the Patterson
School “premier” status. This KPMG designation is given to
only 40 schools nationwide for placing high-achieving
students in KPMG Internationals member firm offices.
“We are especially grateful to KPMG for this generous gift
to the Patterson School of Accountancy,” said Wendell
Weakley, president of the UM Foundation. “KPMG is a
longtime supporter of the Patterson School, and many of our
graduates go on to rewarding careers with the firm.
Clearly, KPMG is committed to helping provide our students
with the best accounting education possible.”
The current holder of the KPMG Professorship is Mark
Wilder, who also serves as interim dean of the Patterson
School.
Professorships, endowed chairs and other esteemed positions
are usually held by faculty members whose accomplishments
indicate national and international leadership in their
field. Typically, the faculty member’s efforts are focused
on enhancing teaching skills and establishing superior
records of research or other scholarly activity.
“I am honored to hold the KPMG Professorship,” Wilder said.
“Our undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs are all
ranked among the top 30 in the nation, and KPMG’s support
will enable us to continue our tremendous success. We have
a great partnership with KPMG. We are especially grateful
to our alumni with the firm, not only for their financial
support but also for hiring our students and enabling us to
achieve ‘premier’ school status.”
Wilder, who has taught at UM since 1993, is a certified
public accountant whose primary teaching has been in
financial accounting. He has conducted research in a
variety of areas, including earnings forecasting, financial
reporting and issues facing the profession.
Wilder is actively involved in university and professional
service, including a term as president of the Northeast
Chapter of the Mississippi Society of CPAs. He recently
completed a two-year term on the MSCPA Board of Governors.
In 2005, he received the campuswide Elsie M. Hood
Outstanding Teacher Award, the highest teaching honor for
UM faculty.
KPMG LLP’s gift is part of the university’s MomentUM
campaign, a four-year initiative to raise $200 million. The
campaign, which ends in December 2008, already has raised
more than $180 million for scholarships, graduate
fellowships, faculty support, a basketball practice
facility, residential colleges and a new law school on the
Oxford campus. Also in the plans is a cancer center at the
UM Medical Center in Jackson.
To learn more about the Patterson School of Accountancy,
visit
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/accountancy.