Marietta Public Accounting students present at national conference

by Tom Perry

Marietta, OH (06/03/2024) — Anna Allison '24 (Lancaster, Ohio) and Laney Carpenter '25 (Cambridge, Ohio), two accomplished Public Accounting majors at Marietta College, had the opportunity to present original research at the annual conference of the North American Accounting Society (NAAS) held April 10-12 in Chicago.

Their collaborative project, titled "The Foreign Outsourcing of Accounting Services," delved into the emerging practice of public accounting firms and corporations staffing professional accounting roles with foreign accountants based overseas. The insightful research examined the driving forces behind U.S. organizations seeking overseas accounting talent, analyzed the potential advantages and drawbacks of this staffing approach, and provided perspective on the future implications of this trend.

Presenting at the respected national conference allowed Allison and Carpenter to share their findings alongside distinguished faculty and provided an invaluable experience that challenged them to elevate their research abilities, according to McCoy Professor of Accounting and Management Grace Johnson. The feedback received from conference attendees should further strengthen their analysis as they work toward potential publication opportunities.

Johnson served as the faculty mentor for the students' research endeavor. Johnson initially proposed the conference presentation opportunity and recognized their enthusiasm for exploring this timely topic.

Johnson now plans to assist Allison and Carpenter in pursuing publication avenues to share their insightful findings with a wider audience of accounting professionals and educators. Experiences like this prepare Marietta students to make meaningful impacts from day one after graduating, positioning them for bright futures as leaders in their field.

The NAAS promotes excellence in accounting education, research, and practice across North America through its annual conference, publications, outreach programs, and industry partnerships.

Professor Johnson has been taking students to this conference for over two decades.

Located in Marietta, Ohio, at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, Marietta College is a four-year liberal arts college. Tracing its roots to the Muskingum Academy, founded in 1797, the College was officially chartered in 1835. Today, Marietta College serves a body of 1,200 full-time students. The College offers over 50 majors and is consistently ranked among the top regional comprehensive colleges by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Marietta was selected seventh in the nation according to the Brookings Institution's rankings of colleges by their highest value added, regardless of major.

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