The Moore School is creating a new pathway for students from South Carolina’s historically Black colleges and universities to earn Master of Accountancy degrees.
Leaders from Benedict College and the Moore School announced the launch of the MACC Emerging Leaders Program Tuesday, July 19, at a signing ceremony held at the Benedict College Business Development Center.
“As the flagship university in the state of South Carolina, it is our mission to educate the citizens of our state,” says Tracey Weldon, dean of the USC Graduate School. “Partnerships like this with our local historically Black colleges and universities will ensure that the state of South Carolina retains diverse, high-performing talent that will contribute greatly to its future growth.”
Three students from Benedict College have been selected for the program’s inaugural fall 2022 cohort, which will provide students with mentors from both institutions and professional mentors.
“The Darla Moore School of Business is an industry standout in producing elite business leaders, just as Benedict College and other South Carolina HBCUs are renowned for graduating top talent,” says Tiara Dungy, director of inclusive engagement for the Moore School’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. “This program’s collaboration can help lead the way in developing institutional relationships with local HBCUs that will enhance South Carolina’s ability to remain competitive as an economic and cultural hub for our region.”
As part of the program, students will receive financial support that covers their tuition for the year-long degree program and a $5,000 stipend to assist with living expenses while they are enrolled.
"Our partnership with the Darla Moore School of Business is unique," says Tracy Dunn, dean of Benedict’s Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship. "This program represents a significant financial investment in Benedict College accounting graduates who will receive a world-class graduate education in the USC Master of Accountancy program."
The first female dean of Benedict College’s business school, Dunn earned her ’96 MBA and ’03 Ph.D. in business administration from the Moore School.
The inaugural MACC Emerging Leaders Program was made possible by the generous support of accounting firm Dixon Hughes Goodman, now known as FORVIS after a recent merger.
In addition to FORVIS’s support, funding for the MACC Emerging Leaders Program has also been awarded through the University of South Carolina Rising STARS Fellowship, a university-wide initiative to provide funding opportunities for graduates of South Carolina HBCUs to pursue graduate education at the USC-Columbia campus.
“We are excited to launch the MACC Emerging Leaders Program, which will increase diversity and foster underrepresented student success in the accounting field,” says Chad Stefaniak, a Moore School accounting associate professor and the MACC program’s academic director. “Our emerging leaders will be able to complete a leading, customizable MACC program that has a proven track record of honing students’ ability to analyze information, identify problems and provide value-added solutions — all while gaining the confidence and communication skills needed to stand out in the accounting field.”
For more information about the program or the signing ceremony, contact Marjorie Riddle Duffie at marjorie.duffie@moore.sc.edu or 803-576-7337.