Two USM Accounting Students Honored as PCAOB Scholars

Tue, 07/30/2024 - 03:42pm | By: Bailey Harris Shoemake

Two Southern Miss accounting students, Olivia Boleware and Ebony Hill, have been awarded a prestigious Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) scholarship, equating to $30,000 of external scholarship funding.  

Olivia Boleware, from Bassfield, Miss., will begin her second semester in the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) program in the fall and is currently studying for the CPA exam.  

“This scholarship has been the biggest blessing,” said Boleware. “I have worked to pay for college myself, saving to pay for graduate school so I don’t have to take out student loans. With this scholarship, I can graduate debt free.”  

Boleware has been an intern with Carr, Riggs & Ingram CPAs and Advisors since the Spring 2024 semester, where she started in the tax department and then gained experience in auditing. She will begin full-time employment with them upon graduation with her master’s degree in May 2025.  

Ebony Hill is a native of Long Beach, Miss., and is entering her senior year this fall. Following graduation, she plans to continue her education by pursuing a master’s degree in accounting.  

“This scholarship means a lot to me,” said Hill. “It will significantly impact my college experience, and it inspires me to share my story about the positives of going to college and pursuing an accounting degree. I want to help overcome the stigma that accounting is boring by sharing my experiences.”  

Since 2011, the PCAOB has administered a scholarship program for undergraduate and graduate accounting students enrolled in accredited U.S. colleges and universities. The PCAOB Scholars Program is mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and is funded through monetary penalties collected as part of PCAOB enforcement actions. 

The PCAOB Scholars Program seeks to benefit students who are likely to become auditors and to make a difference to students who might otherwise choose a different career path. 

“We are extremely grateful for the PCAOB scholarships awarded to our deserving students,” said Dr. Blaise Sonnier, director of the School of Accountancy. “These scholarships will have a meaningful impact on Olivia and Ebony's ability to pursue their dream of earning the academic credentials necessary to pursue their CPA license.” 

The PCAOB is a nonprofit corporation established by Congress to oversee the audits of public companies in order to protect investors and further the public interest in the preparation of informative, accurate, and independent audit reports. The PCAOB also oversees the audits of brokers and dealers registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including compliance reports filed pursuant to federal securities laws. 

Find out more about the PCAOB Scholars Program.