LSUS accounting senior receives scholarship from statewide organization

LSUS accounting senior receives scholarship from statewide organization

SHREVEPORT - LSUS accounting student Anna Grace Hollis received a scholarship from the Louisiana CPA Education Foundation, which is operated by the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants.

Hollis earned the $1,500 scholarship, which can be used toward any education-related expense, by competing against accounting students from across the state.

The Bossier City native is on track to graduate with a bachelor's degree in accounting with a concentration in public accounting this December.

"It's such an honor to receive this," Hollis said. "I'm interested in forensic accounting.

"I'm already working as an assistant with accountant Chad Garland, and I'll have a full-time job when I graduate."

Forensic accounting consists of examining financial records in legal proceedings to uncover fraud or embezzlement.

Hollis came across a mailout from Garland's office and sought to interview the accountant about his career. Sending out that mailout is now one of her many tasks.

"I wanted to learn more about his job, what it entailed, and explore the work-life balance," Hollis said. "What ended up happening is that he offered me a job, and I've learned so much.

"I help find missing money and write reports for clients. Maybe it's a custody battle or a divorce, and we analyze the financial records to see if there's hidden money."

Hollis received the scholarship from fellow LSUS graduate Michael Gould, who is now a partner-in-charge at Carr, Riggs, and Ingram, one of the top accounting firms in the region.

"I'm excited to award this to an LSUS student," said Gould, who graduated in 2003 while working full-time to support his family. "Speaking as an employer, it's pretty important for college students to gain work experience while in school.

"It's something we consider when evaluating scholarship applications."

Gould, a member of the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants (SLCPA), said the scholarship application window opens again in September.

Students must be members of the SLCPA (free membership) with a 3.0 GPA in accounting courses (2.5 overall).

For more information on available scholarships and application requirements, visit the Louisiana CPA Education Foundation website.