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| Cynthia Cooper, LSU Center for Internal Audit Advisory Board Chair |
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Forensics. The term conjures images of police scientists busily extracting
evidence from a crime scene, combining high-tech equipment and miniscule data
to catch a killer. Forensics also has a less bloody side in accounting. Forensic
accountants and auditors use fine data and detection skills to root out corporate
crime that runs up billion-dollar price tags, and some of the best are trained
at the E. J. Ourso College of Business.
The CIA
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E. J. Ourso College of Business Dean, Robert T. Sumichrast (right), with Allyson d’Aquin |
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Internal auditors are financial detectives – they comb through quarterly
statements, billing records, and many other types of financial records to ensure
that everything is accurate and in compliance with any applicable laws.
The Center for Internal Auditing (CIA) at the E. J. Ourso College has long
been recognized as the world leader in internal auditing education. The Institute
of Internal Auditors (IIA) deemed the CIA its pilot program, and it is consistently
mentioned in U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Colleges guides
as the premier program for internal auditing education.
“The E. J. Ourso College has always been at the forefront of internal
auditing education,” said Dean Robert T. Sumichrast. “In the age
of Sarbanes-Oxley, the kind of expertise we have here is more important than
ever, and professional organizations are responding by hiring out internal
auditing graduates.”
The CIA has a long history of producing award-winning graduates. Since the
first certification exams were given for internal auditors by the IIA 18 years
ago, 15 CIA students have earned the highest score among students in the world.
Allyson d’Aquin, a Flores MBA who chose internal auditing as her specialization,
not only bested every other student in the world when she took the certification
exam in 2003, but also every practicing auditing professional.
“It was just like CSI.”
Fallon Ducree, an undergraduate in accounting who is specializing
in forensic accounting, originally began her studies in the
hard sciences.
“I wanted to become a forensic scientist, like crime
scene investigation,” she said. “I spoke with
an individual from the Baton Rouge forensic crime lab to get
an understanding of how those detectives do their jobs.”
Ultimately, Fallon decided that the hard science wasn’t
for her. Not wanting to waste her talent for and interest
in sleuthing, she chose to study accounting. “It’s
a tough program, but I’m sticking with it.”
Fallon’s resolve is paying off. In 2005, she was named
a PricewaterhouseCoopers Minority Scholar and traveled to
New York to formally receive her scholarship at PwC’s
annual Minorities in Business Leadership Conference. “Because
the admissions standards were so rigorous, I was honored to
become a receipant” she said. “We had to submit
personal essays, transcripts, and letters of recommendation.”
More than 175 students from around the country applied for
the $3,000 scholarship – Fallon was one of only 59 to
receive the award.
“The conference involved workshops of numerous skills
needed to have a successful career. We were also given a mock
case to solve, where we had to interview witnesses and put
together all the clues. It was just like CSI. From that moment,
I knew this was the career for me.” Fallon also had
the opportunity to meet several high-level PwC executives
at a special reception for Minority Scholars and participate
in auditing-skills seminars.
Fallon plans to earn a master’s degree and CPA certification,
then move into a career in dispute analysis and investigation
with a large accounting firm like PwC.
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