(Above): John Meinders, an OSU accounting alumnus and Tulsa accounting professional. (Below, over video): Melinda Stinnett, an accounting alumna and Tulsa accounting professional.

Top 50 Accounting Program Available at OSU-Tulsa

Friday, December 10, 2021

Media Contact: Bailey Stacy | Communications Coordinator, Marketing & Communications | 405-744-2700 | bailey.stacy@okstate.edu

Tulsa business leaders are enthusiastic about the arrival of Oklahoma State University's AACSB accredited undergraduate accounting degree program on the OSU-Tulsa campus, with more than $1.2 million in donor support already pledged to support the program in Tulsa.

The Lou and Connie Miller Charitable Foundation has issued a challenge grant of $1 million, which means any donation to the OSU-Tulsa accounting program up to that amount will result in a similar amount being dedicated to the ongoing operations of the program. Jay Helm, an OSU Spears School of Business alumnus and Oklahoma State Regent for Higher Education, along with his wife, Fayenelle, have already pledged the first matching donation of $250,000.

The OSU accounting program at OSU-Tulsa is identical to the program in Stillwater, including a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts with degree options of internal reporting, control and auditing or external reporting, control and auditing.

“In terms of coverage, rigor, relevance and service, you will find the same quality in Tulsa as you do in Stillwater,” said Dr. Audrey Gramling, head of the OSU School of Accounting in the Spears School of Business. “But there are unique aspects in Tulsa that I’m excited about. We work closely with businesses, alumni and professionals in the city to make sure our students are learning skills to help them be productive and knowledgeable employees when they graduate, and local employers are excited to have a quality, accessible accounting program in Tulsa.”

The OSU School of Accounting is one of the top 50 accounting programs in the nation and has a 92 percent job placement rate for its graduates, who serve as accountants, advisors, auditors and financial reporting and tax experts supporting businesses and organizations in the global marketplace. It is one of only about 190 worldwide accredited through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB), and is also accredited through the Federation of Schools of Accountancy (FSA).

“There’s a discipline that you learn when you’re taking accounting courses, especially at OSU,” said Melinda Stinnett, managing director at Tulsa professional advisory firm Stinnett & Associates and OSU accounting alumna. “I get to be an advisor to my clients, not just prepare financial statements. All of the foundational knowledge that I gained at OSU, I definitely use every single day at Stinnett.”

Accounting graduates are in-demand across the nation, with many local companies and firms actively seeking new graduates with accounting knowledge and skillsets.

“We absolutely see a need for accounting graduates here in Tulsa, and that need is growing,” Stinnett said.

A market research study conducted by a division of The Advisory Board Company identified accountants and auditors as one of the highest-growth occupations for bachelor’s-level professionals in the Tulsa area.

“Accounting is the language of business,” said alumnus John Meinders, partner at the Tulsa office of Grant Thornton, one of the world’s largest organizations of independent audit, tax and advisory firms. “If you’re in any kind of business, you need some level of accounting knowledge.”

Accounting students at OSU-Tulsa can take advantage of the university’s downtown location and flexible class options to network and discover internship opportunities with nearby businesses and organizations. OSU-Tulsa’s location and focus on accessibility are designed to open doors for those who have traditionally faced barriers to entering the accounting profession.

“Having an accounting program at OSU-Tulsa will open up the opportunities to a more diverse population here in Tulsa,” Meinders said. “There’s a great need for accountants, the job market is to be pretty hot for the accounting profession and having this program here locally, from a public university, is going to be a big benefit.”

For more information about donating to the OSU-Tulsa accounting program, contact Cindy Webb, Senior Director of Development with the OSU Foundation in Tulsa at 918-706-6454 or cwebb@osugiving.com.