State scholarships give TWU grad students boost toward accounting careers

Jan. 25, 2024 — DENTON — Delainee Gibson and Danielle Hendrix took a step closer to coveted careers in the accounting world, thanks to scholarships from the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.

The scholarships will help the two Texas Woman’s graduate students in finishing their accounting degrees and sitting for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam.

“It’s great because I don’t have to pay my tuition,” Gibson said. “Between this scholarship and  the TWU graduate scholarship, that should cover all of my tuition. It helps ease the stress of figuring out how to pay for school. If I don’t go to school, then I can’t get my CPA and that puts me back a few years in my career.”

“The TSBPA scholarship is huge in helping me finish out my last two semesters,” Hendrix added. “We welcomed our third child in 2023 (in the middle of the spring semester). It has all been very demanding trying to cover our normal living expenses, working less and taking more classes to finish up my degree. So to have a little financial help without the weight of having to repay it once I've graduated, is one less thing for me to worry about.”

Gibson is one of the first students in TWU’s new Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) program, while Hendrix is working on her degree in the MBA - Accounting program. The College of Business offers two different accounting degrees, but both prepare students for jobs in the accounting sector.  

Gibson, who uses they and them pronouns, recently graduated from TWU with a BBA in accounting in December 2023. They moved to Chicago three days after graduation to start a full-time internship with Wipfli LLP, where Gibson will work in all types of tax and audits for various industries and companies.

Gibson and Hendrix learned about the TSBPA scholarships through Texas Woman’s Accounting & Finance Department chair Pamela Baker, PhD. Gibson learned about the new MSA program while they were a student assistant in Baker’s office. They took one graduate-level class during the last semester of Gibson’s senior year. 

“I was intrigued about the MSA program,” Gibson said. “I looked at the courses and it seemed like it was expanding upon what I was already learning and also had the professors I loved. The program was also shorter than the MBA.”

The majority of the MSA courses focus on financial management topics, decision-making in audit and taxation, financial reporting and corporate management. The program is also designed to help students prepare for the new CPA exam. An MSA degree can be completed in one year or 30 credit hours and is 100% online. 

The MBA - Accounting program is 100% online as well and that was key for Hendrix, who is a mother to three children. 

Hendrix has worked as a dental hygienist for the last 11 years and decided to go back to school so she could have more flexibility with her children. She talked to a few CPAs for insight and took some in-person accounting classes at Texas Woman’s before enrolling in the MBA program. Hendrix is planning on graduating in spring 2024 and is already working part time with an accounting firm while continuing to work as a dental hygienist. 

“The MBA degree has been super enlightening,” Hendrix said. “Especially coming from more of a medical background. I learned a lot about business and management, which I didn’t know too much about coming in. The TWU program is very accommodating toward working parents since the classes are short (six to seven weeks) and online. It’s nice that TWU and my professors made this attainable. Between work and kids, there were a lot of obstacles. It definitely wasn’t easy, but it is doable.”

The MBA is a little different from the MSA. According to Baker, the MBA - Accounting program is intended to help people who are moving into management positions or people who haven’t had a background in business or accounting.

Both students are excited about what lies ahead. 

“My next step is to graduate,” Hendrix said. “I'm keeping my eye on the prize. Three more classes and I will be finished. So right now I'm trying to make good grades, but also trying not to immerse myself so much in my education that I forget what is most important. And that is being very present at home with my kids.” 

“I'm looking forward to finding a career that excites and intrigues me,” Gibson said. “As of right now I'm leaning toward private equity services or consulting services. Additionally, I'm starting to study for my CPA, and I'm hoping to be done by summer 2025. I graduate December 2024 which I'm excited about but I'll miss the academic challenge my studies give me.”

The purpose of the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy TBA Accounting Student Scholarship Program is to provide financial assistance to students intending to take the CPA examination as Texas applicants and ultimately to serve Texas residents.