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Dear Friends of the Department of Accounting

Sep. 1, 2024

Steven Balsam 

Dear alumni, recruiters, supporters, students, faculty and staff, It has been an exciting (almost) first year for me as department chair. I’ll quickly rehash some highlights of the past few months before moving on to future plans.  

  • The Accounting Achievement Awards in April recognized six outstanding members of the Temple community: Jamie Gauthier, BBA ‘00; Sudhir Kondisetty; Ricardo Michel, BBA ‘90; Larry G. Miller, BBA ‘82; Sandy Pfeffer, BBA ‘96; Steven Pham, BBA ‘12  
  • The following events were held: 
    • Jennifer Cryder, CEO of the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs, presented to Fox students.  
    • NABA (formerly the National Association of Black Accountants) held its third annual symposium. 
    • The Internal Revenue Services’ Criminal Investigations Division came to campus and ran a simulated forensic crimes investigation with our students. 
  • Our Student Professional Organization (SPO) banquet recognized the achievements of outgoing leaders and welcomed new ones to the following SPOs: Beta Alpha Psi, Fox Accounting Association, Institute of Management Accountants, NABA, ASCEND and Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA). 
  • Beta Alpha Psi achieved gold status and received national recognition for its participation in the VITA program at the Beta Alpha Psi annual meeting. 
  • Diya Daji, Cecilia Koffi and Alvina Liem were selected as scholars of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB).  
  • At the American Accounting Association Annual meeting, Sudipta Basu, Professor and Stanley Merves Chair in Accounting, Information Technology and Management, 
  • was awarded the 2024 Academy of Accounting Historians Hourglass Award for his contribution to knowledge through research on accounting history.  
  • The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program prepared 698 returns prepared, generating $773,948 in federal refunds and $28,161 in state refunds. (Data verified, Aug. 8, 2024)
  • Most recently, the department hosted the 2024 Fox and Haskayne Accounting Conference. 

By time you read this, we will have welcomed the class of 2028. As we enter this fall semester, we look forward to a series of upcoming events including: 

  • Sept. 18: Accounting Evening with Recruiters 
  • Sept. 20: Fox School’s Fall Connection 
  • Sept. 23: Pete Dolan, the Global Board of Directors Chair-Elect of the IMA and a senior partner at the Philadelphia office of KPMG  
  • Oct. 4: Sandy Pfeffer*, Managing Director, Greater Philadelphia Marketplace Leader, Deloitte  
  • Oct 19: Homecoming and Family Weekend 

As alumni, recruiters, supporters, students, faculty and staff, you are welcome to attend the above. Please reach out to for more details. 

Much of our success is attributable to our generous supporters which includes coming to campus to speak to one (or more) of our six student professional organizations, the Young Accounting Alumni Group (YAAG) that pays it back by mentoring current students, and of course, financial support that allows us to provide assistance to students who otherwise could not afford to pursue their passion.  

To stay in the know about everything going on in the Fox School Department of Accounting,  join our LinkedIn group. 

Sincerely, 

Steven Balsam 

Professor and Senior Merves Research Fellow 
Chair, Department of Accounting 

*Accounting Achievement Award Winner