Beta Alpha Psi
Newsletter
W E S T E R N
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
Regional Meeting
2
Spring Activties
2
Accounting
Challenge
3
Initiation
3
Accountancy
Awards
4
Our Presenters
4
I L L I N O I S
U N I V E R S I T Y
O C T O B E R
2 0 1 5
Annual Meeting:
Gold Challenge Winners!
By: Scott Pepmeyer
This year’s BAP annual
meeting was held in Milwaukee, WI. Our chapter
competed in KPMG’s
Gold Challenge, which
we won for the second
year in a row. Our chapter is 1 of only 11 chapters internationally to receive this award. To be
considered for this award,
chapters must prove they
went above and beyond
what was expected and
provided innovative and
quality experiences for
members. Competing
chapters must submit a
five-minute video high-
lighting what makes
their chapter exceptional.
Also, at the meeting
Claire Costello, Tracy Juske and Megan
Opiekun, took third
place in the Best
Practices competition
sponsored by Deloitte in
the area of International
Impact. Throughout the
year our chapter helped to
educate students about
international accounting
and business practices,
and assist them in experiencing cultural interactions and practices that
differ from those in the
U.S. Finally, Scott Pep-
Best Practices Team
Annual Meeting
meyer was selected to participate in this year’s Project Run With It competition sponsored by MossAdams LLP. Scott worked
together with three students
from different parts of the
country to help the Sojourner Family Peace Center increase their awareness
in the state of Wisconsin.
This was another great year
for our chapter!
Spring 2015 BAP members
Like us on Facebook. Beta Alpha Psi Western Illinois University
Regional Meeting
PAGE
2
By: Dayna Heaton
Beta Alpha Psi hosted its Midwest Regional Meeting this
year in Indianapolis, Indiana,
on March 27 - 28. Erin
Hutchins, Malia Pryor, Jen-
ternational Impact.
Their amazing presentation was awarded
first place, allowing
WIU to advance and
compete at the Annual
Meeting in August.
All BAP Members In Attendance At The Regional Meeting
Five other BAP members attended the regional meeting including Pe- also gives current BAP memter Trainor, Krista Glass, Me- bers an opportunity to network
gan Opiekun, Dayna Heaton, with students from other univerand Scott Pepmeyer (seated in sities who will someday be
picture above left to right).
working in the same field. The
Cheryl Westen, our faculty
BAP meeting has various activadvisor, also attended the
ities and presentations where
meeting. The BAP regional
students learn about working in
meeting
is
a
great
opportunity
teams, developing individual
BAP Best Practices Team
to learn from other chapters in leadership styles, and hearing
nifer Symmonds, and Claire
the area, gaining insight into
from individuals in the field on
Costello (pictured above left to what works for their chapter
what to expect after graduation.
right) presented in the Best
and possible improvements
Practices Competition on Inthat can be made to ours. It
Spring Activities
By:
Amber
Lipton
BAP
kept
busy
this
semester.
Excel training with Caterpillar We
began
the semester with a scavenger
hunt around Stipes Hall trying
to complete it before our peers.
On February 18, BAP celebrated the Chinese New Year. We
learned how Chinese New
Year is celebrated and had fun
with a chopstick competition.
On March 11, Caterpillar host-
ed its sixth semi-annual boot
camp to help students brush up
on their Excel skills through
real world problem solving.
Later in the semester, BAP
volunteered at the American
Legion to support the Kiwanis
Pancake Day, which raised
nearly $12,000 to support local
children’s programs and activities for the next year.
Throughout the semester,
members spent an hour a week
meeting and conversing with
WIU International Studies students in the Conversation Partners Program. To round out
the semester BAP had a leadership activity where the members had to piece together three
inspirational
business
quotes,
while
not
Chinese New Year
speaking. While this was a challenge, the members were able
to figure them out and see if
they took the position of leader
or follower in order to help the
group solve the quote.
Leadership Exercise
Accounting Challenge
PAGE
By: Taylor Elder
3
event is to help students expand their knowledge on
Every year Beta Alpha Psi
many different accounting
partners with the Western Illitopics. We also inform stunois University Accounting
dents about the benefits of
and Finance Department and
choosing accounting as a
the Illinois CPA Society to put
major in college and the caStudents at Accounting Challenge
on our Accounting Challenge
reer opportunities that come
event. This year we had the
with an accounting degree. To
be applied toward the student
pleasure of hosting 70 students
start the day BAP members
receiving their degree at WIU
mentor the students and ask
as an accounting major. Every
about their college plans. They
year we end the event by playalso talk to students about
ing “Accounting Jeopardy”
choosing accounting as a major. with the students. Prizes and
Next, the students took an actrophies are given to the wincounting exam that would disners. We had another successplay their knowledge of the dif- ful year and we hope there are
ferent accounting functions.
many more to come. Thank
Claire Costello Presenting to
Once the exams were graded,
you to everyone who helped
the High Schoolers
scholarships were awarded to
contribute to this success!
the
students
that
received
from eight local high schools
the highest scores.
on April 10, 2015 in Stipes
These scholarships can
Hall. The purpose of this
Initiation
By: Tadd
Glasgow
Initiation
took
place on
Thursday,
April
th
Big Pink Volleyball 30 . This
semester,
nine new members were inducted. Seven members (Jessie Albrecht, Peter Trainor, Malia
Pryor, Brittney Troline, Scott
Pepmeyer, Claire Costello, and
Joseph Goetz) received their
bachelor degree and four members (Alexis Slater, Andrew
New Members Being Initiated
Brach, Candace Williams, and Jennifer SymDebra McKee
monds) received their master
Derek Orendorff
of accountancy degree. Also, Jongin Park
six new officers were elected. Kara Ziegler
After the ceremony, members Megan Opiekun
played volleyball at the Rec
New Officers
Center with the giant pink vol- President: Tracy Juske
leyball! Members and faculty
Vice President: Joseph Goetz
had dinner at Sports Corner to Recording Administrator: Scott
wrap up the night.
Pepmeyer
Leadership Chair: Derek OrenNew Members
dorff
Tadd Glasgow
Alumni Relations: Dayna HeaKrista Glass
ton
Kyung Eun Kwon
Social Chair: Megan Opiekun
Amber Lipton
Accountancy Awards
Congratulations to all of our
BAP members who were
awarded scholarships last semester.
Department Scholar
Malia Pryor-Spring 2015Accountancy
PAGE
4
Col. Marinda Wood Scholar- IMA Scholarships
Kara Ziegler
ship
Peter Trainor
Kara Ziegler
Marcus Sipolt Scholarship
Debra McKee
Outstanding Senior
Joseph Goetz
Samual Oliva Scholarship
Brittany Troline
Kyungeun Kwon
J. David and Nancy Smith
Scholarship
Megan Opiekun
Craig Neader Scholarship
Dayna Heaton
Tracy Juske
BAP – Macomb CPA Excel
Scholarship
Scott Pepmeyer
Awarded Graduate Assistantship
Hannah Elting
Malia Pryor
Erin Hutchins
Joe Goetz
Our Presenters
Finally we would like to thank
all of our presenters this semester for taking time to come
and share their accounting and
finance knowledge with us.
Presenters this semester were:
Illinois Internal Audit:
“How To Succeed In Your
Internal Audit Career”
HNI:
“A Look at Internal Audit”
Cynthia Cooper:
“EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES: The Journey
of a Corporate Whistle Blower”
John Deere:
“Effective Communication”
Wiley:
“Preparing for the CPA Exam”
Clifton Larson Allen:
“Transitioning from a Student to a Professional”
Clifton Larson Allen
Gary Sutton, MCC Golf Pro:
“Golf as a Business Skill”
Thank you again for your time
and support.
If you are interested in presenting at a BAP meeting please
contact Joseph Goetz BAP
Vice President, at: JAGoetz@wiu.edu
Members learning golf skills
Beta Alpha Psi
431 Stipes Hall
1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455
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Beta Alpha Psi Western Illinois University
For More Information or if you have any questions or
comments please contact:
Cheryl Westen (Advisor): CA-Westen@wiu.edu