STUDENT AWARDS

Each year, the UACPA honors a fifth-year accounting student from each of Utah’s universities for his or her accomplishments in the accounting field. Criteria to be honored include GPA, extracurricular and professional activities and experience, professional image and perceived commitment and dedication. The following individuals are receiving the UACPA’s recognition at their ceremonies this spring. Their nominating professors have provided commentary for each award winner.

Brigham Young University

Julya Turner

Julya Turner graduated high school with an associate degree and little time to decide what she wanted to study for her advanced education. Based on recommendations of family members who enjoy their careers in accounting, Turner decided to explore the possibility. She began her degree in accounting at Utah State University and later accepted a job at Anderson Bradshaw PLLC in Salt Lake City, then transferred to Utah Valley University. With dreams of earning a master’s degree at BYU Marriott’s SOA, she has been able to stretch her time with the program. This helps her balance a two-hour commute, a part-time job, full-time school and her family life.

Southern Utah University

Emily Pearson Powell

Emily is from Cedar City, Utah, and has enjoyed her time at Southern Utah University. She has served as the UACPA campus ambassador, the Becker campus ambassador, vice president for Beta Gamma Sigma, pPresident of the Professional Accountancy Club (PAC), an accounting teacher’s assistant (TA), and a representative of all accounting students on the business council. She graduates with her master’s degree in accountancy in April and will work on the CPA Exam this summer. Following graduation, she will work at Tanner, a public accounting firm, as an auditor. She is married to Joey Powell, and they enjoy playing pickleball in their spare time. Other hobbies of Emily’s include playing the piano, reading, running, playing games with family, jamming to T. Swift, and spending lots of time outside.

University Of Utah

Elizabeth Ramsay

Elizabeth is the University of Utah’s UACPA campus ambassador. She is also one of our top students in the program. In addition to high academic performance, Elizabeth has worked as our graduate assistant and has helped in improving the quality of our student engagement efforts. Elizabeth has worked as a tutor for all of our core classes and has helped many of our other MAcc students in improving their performance in classes.

Utah State University

Kendall Mortensen

We are pleased to announce that Kendall Mortensen is our selection for the 2023 UACPA Outstanding Accounting Student. Kendall is a student worthy of recognition. Not only is he a terrific student who is engaged in his classes, but he looks for opportunities to add value to the department as well. He has been involved in many areas within the School of Accountancy. He has served as both an officer and the president of the IMA student club, a Quigley Ambassador, as an undergraduate teaching fellow for Accounting 3310, as a tutor in the accounting tutor lab, as a volunteer in the VITA program, and as the UACPA campus ambassador. Kendall is a great leader who goes above and beyond, and he is a great example and mentor to the students at Utah State University. He is very deserving of this award.

Utah Tech University

Lauren Buxton

My colleagues and I have had the privilege of instructing Lauren in the accounting program at both the graduate and undergraduate level. She is a highly motivated student who excels in her studies through attending class, completing assignments, asking and answering questions, and is self-motivated. Lauren is a student that I could count on each week to interact with other students to understand and apply the new material being presented. When the information didn’t make sense, she made the effort to meet with her instructor to gain clarification. While doing all of this she has been actively engaged in UT’s NCAA Division women’s soccer team while in school and was elected by her teammates as the captain of the team her senior year. She has been able to maintain a 3.62 GPA during her MAcc program and graduates this spring.

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Utah Valley University

Cooper Barnson

Cooper stands out among his fellow students in leadership, commitment, scholarship, interpersonal relationships, and many other ways. Cooper is the current president of the UVU Beta Alpha Psi chapter and has served in that capacity with distinction. He’s always on top of what needs to be done, delegates well, and follows up with other officers to make sure things are accomplished very well. He has also been indispensable in the UVU VITA program, first, as a volunteer last year, and this year, as an assistant site coordinator. Cooper has gone above and beyond in this role by running multiple training sessions, creating additional templates and processes, and encouraging BAP members to volunteer with the VITA program. These efforts have helped increase the number of student volunteers and improved the experience of both volunteers and taxpayers within the VITA lab. Along with those two major responsibilities, Cooper is performing very well academically in the UVU Master of Accountancy program and is exceptionally well liked and admired by fellow students and faculty.

Weber State University

Emily Fowles

Emily has a 3.92 GPA and is interested in accounting and leadership within the profession. She attended several summer leadership conferences produced by various firms in the summer of 2020 and was offered a job position starting after she graduates. Though not yet employed, she has attended the employer’s Women in Leadership Conference and worked as an ambassador for the company. Emily is currently preparing to take the CPA Exam. She is also involved in her community, volunteering at an elementary school four to six times per year to help test children’s reading comprehension and English skills.

Westminster College

Hannah Flanagan

Hannah graduated with a bachelor’s in accounting from College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota. She worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte before moving to Salt Lake City where she currently works as a senior revenue accountant for O.C. Tanner.