Future CPAs riveted by the financial headlines over the past six months might find the Robins School Master of Accountancy especially appealing. You don't have to be Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. to uncover the likes of a Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. Students enrolled in the Master of Accountancy program at the Robins School have a unique opportunity to study white collar crime and securities regulations at the TC Williams School of Law as part of their degree requirements.

Dr. Paul Clikeman, Director of the Master of Accountancy (MAcc), helped develop the curriculum. Because students are interested in the CPA exam, the curriculum revolves around three areas: auditing, financial reporting and tax accounting.

The Robins School program is small by design. Created for a maximum of 12 students, the program begins in August with a week-long residency. During this time, students engage in team building exercises, learn how to use a computerized database of accounting information, and practice with case studies.

In addition to four required accounting classes, students can elect to take classes from the business school and the law school. Since the program began in 2006, they have taken a variety of classes, including finance, mergers & acquisitions, entrepreneurship, corporate law and federal taxation.

"We wanted to make sure the fifth year adds some real value instead of loading up on hours," said Clikeman. "Our students participate in an internship the summer before the program starts. They write and submit a series of four papers before the residency begins and then we debrief during the residency to compare experiences. Not every school with a MAcc program has a law school, so our course offering is fairly unique."

The graduate accounting courses in the year-long MAcc program are designed to broaden the students' understanding of the role of accounting in today's business environment while providing the technical knowledge and skills necessary to meet the new CPA licensing requirements of all states and jurisdictions.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of accountants and auditors is expected to grow by 18 percent between 2006 and 2016 - faster than the average for all occupations. Most U.S. states and territories, including Virginia, have passed legislation requiring five years of post-secondary education for CPA licensing, making a master's degree a prerequisite for a job in public accounting. So far, the Master of Accountancy program boasts 11 graduates. They work for local and regional CPA firms as well as the Big 4.

In the fall of 2008, the MBA program initiated a series of information sessions for prospective applicants. The community's response to the offering was tremendous. Initially offering only one session, seats were quickly filled, and additional sessions were planned. In all, 3 sessions have been held (November, January & February). All experienced substantial turnouts, and revealed many insights into the needs and wants of prospective MBA's.

When asked what stood out in these sessions, in terms of prospective applicant questions, Senior Associate Dean, Richard Coughlan, responded, "There's an increasing interest in additional courses with a global element. For the first time, we're hearing from students who'd like to complete two international residencies during their time in the program." Currently, only one international residency is required for graduation.

Given the level of interest in The Richmond MBA, it's not surprising that applications have been steadily arriving in the program office. Approximately one quarter of the incoming class has been admitted already. The Richmond MBA continues to attract talented women from across the region; nearly half of those admitted so far are female. In addition, average GMAT scores and work experience among our applicants are, so far, similar to last year's pool. "We've been particularly heartened by the number of qualified attendees from the Federal Reserve Bank, Dominion, Altria and MeadWestvaco at the recent sessions. Many have been referred by our current students or alumni," adds Coughlan.

Noting the volume of inquiries about MBA programs across the country, one might question whether today's economy is affecting the level of interest in such programs. Addressing this, Coughlan adds, "Interest in MBA programs always increases during periods of economic decline. At a meeting of MBA directors earlier this month, I learned that full-time MBA programs around the world are seeing significant increases in applications. Most programs designed for working professionals, such as The Richmond MBA, are seeing numbers similar to what we saw last year. While some firms might be scaling back their support for graduate education, many more individuals see this as an opportunity to gain additional knowledge that will broaden their opportunities when the economy turns around."

The Richmond MBA is designed to provide students the pillars of long-term business success. With small, collaborative and experiential classes, students will combine their own experiences to date with those of their professors and fellow students to build a strong portfolio of knowledge. The uniquely designed curriculum, including the Opening Residency, International Residency, and Capstone requirements, make The Richmond MBA a highly-regarded and well sought-after program. For more information on The Richmond MBA, visit us on the Web.

The MBA Leadership Council was formed several years ago to enhance connections among MBA students, faculty, alumni and corporate friends. After a short period of dormancy, the Council was revitalized in 2007 under the enthusiastic leadership of Past President Cara Cox and current Council President Carrie Hogue. Now twelve members strong, the Council has been very active in establishing a calendar of events for students and alumni. "It has been great to watch The MBA Leadership Council grow over the past 1 1/2 years. I think the group has really helped foster a sense of community among MBA students," observes Hogue.

Within the Council, an active social committee organizes events for networking and community service purposes. Richmond MBA students, faculty and alumni are invited to participate. Past events include:

• Partnership with the VCU MBA program collecting professional clothing for those in need entering the workforce, as well as assisting with training and interviewing skills;
• Participation by 10 MBA students in the Chick-Fil-A charity dodgeball tournament to benefit Partnership for the Future & Schools of Niger, Africa; and
• Sponsorship of the Monument 10K by hosting a University of Richmond tent and placing in the spirit contest. The group also donated their winnings to the Massey Cancer Center.

In fall 2008, the Council organized an event where faculty and students participated in the high ropes course, located on the University of Richmond campus. It proved to be an ideal opportunity for student and faculty collaboration outside the classroom. "The entire event was fun, well organized and provided the perfect opportunity to get to know some students I didn't know, as well as get to know better some of my past and current students outside the classroom," relayed Management professor, Robert Phillips.

Among the most recent activities was a networking event supporting Massey Cancer Center at Capital Ale House. Nearly 40 baseball caps were collected for patients at the Massey Cancer Center. "I am very proud of the leadership and thoughtfulness shown by the MBA Leadership Council in collecting much needed baseball caps for our patients," relayed Becky Massey, Massey Cancer Advisory Board Member.

The Council also organizes social activities around Spider athletic events to build a stronger bond with the University of Richmond and promote greater Spider spirit. In addition to the annual MBA tailgate, they also hosted a pre-game Spider basketball event with nearly 50 attendees, including families of students and alumni. Finally, the Council is in the process of creating a women's MBA group to address the special challenges women face in the workplace. These include such issues as managing others' perceptions of women, maintaining a healthy work/life balance, and managing in a male-dominated field. The women's group will sponsor lunches that feature a speaker and will be followed by a question and discussion session. If you or your organization would like to become involved with the MBA Leadership Council, please contact Council President, Carrie Hogue at carriehogue@comcast.net.

The Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council and University of Richmond's Robins School of Business will offer leadership development training to CEOs selected from certified minority businesses across the commonwealth.

Intensive three-day sessions in June and September at the university will focus primarily on leadership skills, business expansion and customer service. Twenty participants will be selected for the first cohort through a rigorous application process. Details, including costs and admission requirements, will be posted to the Web sites of VMSDC and the Robins School soon.

Altria Group, Dominion Resources and MeadWestvaco-corporations based in central Virginia-are founding sponsors of the training program.

VMSDC and the Robins School designed the training to help the CEOs increase business and deal with the downturn that has affected the American economy. Professors specializing in strategic management, finance, marketing and entrepreneurship and the school's Executive Education division will tailor the curriculum to VMSDC's membership.

"As always, we're committed to education and training," said Connie Smith, VMSDC chair (she also heads supplier diversity development for the Altria family of companies). "This program will provide the right information at the right time to suppliers that are ready to evolve to the next level."

"The Robins School is honored to have been chosen for this important work," said Dean Jorge Haddock.

Richard Coughlan, Robins School senior associate dean, said he expects the program to make a difference in Virginia's future economy.

"By helping chief executives expand their firms' capabilities, we aim to increase their chances for building new partnerships with major corporations across the country," Coughlan said.

This spring, the Robins School of Business will be hosting 34 students from the Rouen School of Management in Rouen, France. The students are arriving March 28th and will be staying through April 4th, participating in a wide variety of activities and presentations here at the University, as well as local destinations. The trip will involve a combination of lectures surrounding American history, culture and business, as well as tours of Historic Williamsburg; Richmond; Washington, D.C. and local businesses. The students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and locations including: France, China, Columbia, India, Mexico, Senegal and Bulgaria. This should be a fantastic collaboration between two prestigious schools, as The Rouen School of Management is regarded as one of Europe's top Business Schools.