Forvis Mazars’ gift makes broad impact in accounting
A leading accounting firm’s scholarship gift helps not only the graduate students who receive it but the many undergraduates they are helping to tutor through a course notorious for its difficulty.
Forvis Mazars’ six-figure donation helps fund graduate students in the Pamplin College of Business Department of Accounting and Information Systems who work tutoring undergraduates enrolled in ACIS 3115: Intermediate Financial Accounting.
“Our first intermediate accounting class is difficult,” said Robert Davidson, the accounting and information systems department head, the R.B. Pamplin Professor, and William S. Gay Senior Faculty Fellow. “There are some students who may have never really struggled in a class in their entire academic life until they get here. Having additional resources for graduate student-led help is important, and we have evidence that it really does lower the drop, withdrawal, and fail rates for the class.”
Davidson added: “It’s costly if any of those things happen to a student. The class serves as a prerequisite so they could face an extra semester to graduation. It’s really valuable for students to get through, do well, and learn the material the first time.”
Michael Walker ’25, M.S. ’26 said the Forvis Mazars scholarship was a big reason he was able to stay on at Virginia Tech to complete his master’s degree, and that he enjoyed being able to help others with course material he faced as an undergraduate just a few years ago.
“Since I took it myself, I have a better understanding of the student perspective for the class and I can help them in that way,” Walker said. “And tutoring helps me reinforce the material myself for my CPA exams. One of the best ways to reinforce material for yourself is by teaching it.”
Blanca Bailey took advantage of Walker’s tutoring availability for help with how to calculate the time value of money for deferred payments.
“Going to tutoring after the lecture really focused my mind and cleared up any confusion I had so that I could really grasp the topic,” said Bailey. “It made me more confident in exams and also in general.”
Caleb Vuljanic is Forvis Mazars’ managing partner for Metro D.C., and Jennifer Wold is the managing partner of the Richmond and Norfolk offices, both of whom recruit actively at the university.
“Partnering with Virginia Tech allows us to invest in exceptional students while staying connected to new ideas and perspectives,” said Vuljanic, who also serves on the Department of Accounting and Information Systems Advisory Board.
Added Wold: “Hokie students bring curiosity, grit, and perspective, which they turn into real-world impact in short order. We also love the partnership because Hokies don’t just learn accounting, they think differently about it, and that’s the mindset our profession needs right now.”
Davidson said Forvis Mazars’ generosity and ongoing relationship with Virginia Tech is deeply appreciated.
“This gift helps make graduate education accessible and is directly responsible for helping undergraduate students learn essential content quickly,” Davidson said. “It helps keep our students on track for their degrees and future careers in accounting.”
