A Rice MAcc alum wins prestigious Elijah Watt Sells Award from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) for the third consecutive year.
Another One!
We are thrilled to announce that, for the third year in a row, one of our Rice MAcc graduates earned the prestigious Elijah Watt Sells Award. This is an extraordinary achievement, especially considering the purposefully small size of the Rice MAcc program. Interestingly, none of our three winners had an undergraduate degree in accounting. This demonstrates that students from any undergraduate major can excel in accounting!
About the Elijah Watt Sells Award
The Elijah Watt Sells Award program, established in 1923, honors the legacy of Elijah Watt Sells, one of the country's first CPAs. Every spring, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) announces the winners of the award in recognition of outstanding performance on the CPA exam. Recipients must have passed all four sections on the first attempt and obtained a cumulative average score above 95.5.
Our 2019 Winner
Molly Garrison, winner of the 2019 Elijah Watt Sells Award, graduated in the Rice MAcc class of 2019. Almost 75,000 individuals sat for the CPA exam in 2019 with the award going to the top 137 candidates. That puts Molly among the 0.02% of 2019’s CPA exam takers! Prior to the Rice MAcc, Molly earned her B.A. in English and Psychology from Rice University. She is currently employed with PwC in Houston.
Our Previous Winners
We are proud of all of our Elijah Watt Sells award winners. Our previous winners from the last two years are highlighted below.
Lauren Heller, Rice MAcc Class of 2018
Lauren Heller, the recipient of the 2018 Elijah Watt Sells award, graduated from Rice University with a B.A. in Mathematical Economic Analysis before earning her Master of Accounting. Lauren is now a Private Equity Associate with Apollo Global Management Inc. in Los Angeles, California.
Travis Guzzardo, Rice MAcc Class of 2017
Travis Guzzardo was awarded the Elijah Watt Sells award for 2017. Travis earned a B.A. in Mathematics and Sports Management from Rice University before completing his Master of Accounting. He is currently employed with Deloitte in Houston, Texas.
Are you interested in getting qualified to sit for the CPA exam? Click here for more information about our admissions process. To find out whether the Rice MAcc is a good fit for you, reach out to us today!
The one-year Rice Master of Accounting (MAcc) program welcomes students from all undergraduate majors. Our intentionally small program ensures that you will get to know your classmates and professors well. You belong here!
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Accounting is a high-demand skill that provides excellent earning potential to Master’s graduates. As a result, regardless of undergraduate major or background, a graduate degree in accounting can transform your career trajectory in as little as one year.
