Accountancy News 

In a pilot program during the winter 2026 semester, graduate students at BYU Marriott's School of Accountancy in Provo assisted with instruction of an introductory course on accounting principles for BYU–Pathway learners across the globe. Over a 10-week experience, BYU Marriott MAcc students helped with live online classes, mentored small cohorts, answered questions in breakout sessions, and equipped learners with practical skills for their jobs and businesses.

“I’m of the mind that with AI now, we as faculty have to move the goalposts way out there,” says Scott Murff, an associate teaching professor of strategy at the BYU Marriott School of Business. As faculty integrate AI into their classrooms, they say they hope that their students will not only accomplish more, but that they will become more. “Instead of getting to the end of the road, now we want our students to go to the moon.”

The BYU Marriott School of Business honored selected faculty and staff at its April 2026 awards ceremony for their impact in exemplifying BYU Marriott's mission, vision, and values in both classroom and administrative work.

In March, the BYU Marriott School of Business administration recognized one graduating student from each undergraduate program with the Bateman Award for their dedication to the BYU Marriott values, commitment to academic excellence, and profound drive to serve others.

Of all the awards he earned and titles he held at BYU Marriott—from PhD prep track coordinator to director of the SOA—Doug Prawitt says mentoring students and helping them improve their lives is his proudest accomplishment.

During the 2025 tax season, more than a hundred SOA students from BYU Marriott helped community members file their taxes for free through the VITA lab. These students filed almost 1,000 tax returns, helping to share light as they empathized and advocated for others through the tax return process, says Jon Kerr, the VITA lab faculty advisor.

As Mary Catherine Shepherd works her way through the information systems junior core, she recalls a time when she was less sure of her path. Shepherd found guidance in the BYU Marriott School of Business Undergraduate Advisement office, where she now works with other trained peer advisors who rely on their own BYU Marriott experiences to help pre-business students seeking light and advice on an individual level.

As seven new faculty members joined the BYU Marriott School of Business, dean Brigitte Madrian shares, “We are grateful that these extremely capable individuals have joined our faculty. They are deeply committed to our guiding principle of being centered on students and to our mission of developing leaders of faith, intellect, and character who will transform the world.”

For Nicole Donahoo, the path to becoming an assistant professor began with a breakup—an ordeal that spurred Donahoo to turn to the Lord for guidance. Since then, she's learned that following the promptings of the Lord brings her joy, even when God's plans are different from what she had in mind.

When Sarah-Jane Tate started the accounting junior core, she had no idea she'd have to navigate a concussion, a new job, and a broken engagement to make it through the school year.

To help accounting students bridge the gap between theory and practice before they hit the workforce, David Wood has worked with student employees at BYU to build the EYARC Experience platform. The educational platform is funded by the EY Foundation, which sponsors the creation and distribution of educational materials to accounting programs worldwide.

Since the pandemic, Zoom classes—often filled with muted participants and blank screens—have been a new part of the classroom experience. But for students at the BYU Marriott School of Business who are part of the Silver Fund class, a Zoom discussion featuring 65 BYU–Pathway Worldwide students in 18 different countries provided inspiration and connection.

Brigitte Madrian, dean of the BYU Marriott School of Business, has announced the next School of Accountancy director: Melissa Larson, the E. Dee and Patricia Hubbard Professor, will be taking over for Doug Prawitt on July 1, 2025.

Brigitte Madrian, dean of the BYU Marriott of Business has announced the appointment of Michael Drake as a new associate dean for the college. Drake will be replacing current associate dean Bonnie Anderson on July 1, 2025.

Growing up, Ryan Sommerfeldt wanted to be a high school math teacher. Now, he is teaching accounting with the aim of helping students progress both spiritually and intellectually.

In its April 2025 awards ceremony, the BYU Marriott School of Business recognized selected faculty, staff, and administrators for exemplifying the college’s vision, mission, values, and guiding principle in both classroom and administrative work.

For 12 years, accounting alum Michael Parker worked contentedly in public accounting. Then he got a taste of company finances and realized he wanted to be a part of a growing, new company. “I was more of a caretaker, and I wanted to be a builder,” he says.

In March the BYU Marriott School of Business administration recognized a graduating student from each undergraduate program with the Bateman Award for their exemplary dedication to the BYU Marriott values, commitment to academic excellence, and profound drive to serve others.

When the School of Accountancy was made aware of a potential gap in teaching methods, they designed two new courses—hoping that the hands-on learning opportunities would help students bridge the gap between knowledge and application.

BYU Marriott accounting students Canyon Esplin, Chris Gibbons, Hyrum Draper, Lincoln Gardner, and Marlee Lotaki won first place and $10,000 at Deloitte's 2025 FanTAXtic national case study competition.