National Awards Highlight Strength of Scranton’s Accounting Ph.D. Program

Four members of The University of Scranton's Ph.D. in Accounting program recently earned prestigious honors from leading academic and professional organizations.

• Jacob Crowley and Geoffrey Plourde are among 25 accounting educators and researchers in the country chosen as 2026 Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) Foundation Accounting Doctoral Fellows. Crowley received the honor for the second consecutive year. 

• Ning Zhou is the first recipient of the Dana G. Kilgore Endowed Professorship in Accounting awarded by the University of Virginia's College at Wise. The appointee serves as a teacher and adviser and helps enhance the college's accounting curriculum.

• Heather Hull is a recipient of the 2026 Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting (EFWA) Laurels Fund Scholarship, which supports women pursuing advanced degrees in accounting and aspiring to careers in accounting education.

"Jacob, Geoffrey, Ning and Heather have distinguished themselves through their scholarship, dedication and commitment to accounting education, and their achievements are a tremendous source of pride," said Douglas M. Boyle, DBA'88, professor and chair of accounting and director of the Ph.D. in Accounting program.

Dr. Boyle said the accomplishments of the four students reflect the strength of the Kania School of Management's Ph.D. in Accounting program, which holds the No. 1 worldwide ranking for productivity in accounting education research according to the 2025 Brigham Young University Accounting Research Rankings.

"We are proud to provide experienced accounting professionals with the opportunity to build on their professional expertise while developing the research and teaching skills needed to make meaningful contributions to continuing education," Dr. Boyle added.