WELCOME TO OUR STORY
100 years ago, a group of students and their professor embarked on a journey to establish the Premier International Student Organization for Financial Professionals, becoming Beta Alpha Psi in February 1919.
Start >>
100 years ago, a group of students and their professor embarked on a journey to establish the Premier International Student Organization for Financial Professionals, becoming Beta Alpha Psi in February 1919.
Start >>This journey established Beta Alpha Psi’s mission to inspire and support excellence in students by encouraging professional development, community service, and interaction among members and professionals. Beta Alpha Psi honors and recognizes students and faculty each year with esteemed awards.
Continue >>Join us for the BAP story and reflect upon our past, our present and our next 100 years!
Continue >>Legacy begins with a seed that once planted and cultivated, grows and thrives into excellence.
History of competitions and awards:
Competitions and recognition are an integral part of Beta Alpha Psi’s history. The earliest competition goes as far back as 1927 with the “book award” where students submitted an accounting literary article that was judged and eligible for a monetary award. This award led to the evolution of the manuscript competitive awards, which were part of Beta Alpha Psi from 1929 – 2000.
Currently, Beta Alpha Psi has over ten competitions that cover a range of disciplines that include but are not limited to: ethics, inclusive leadership, finance, tax assistance, best practices for chapters, and not-for-profit accounting. More than 800 students participate in these competitions annually.
Competition and recognition enable our students to develop their presentation skills (written and verbal), gain a deeper understanding of technical topics, and provide an opportunity for community outreach. We believe that these competitions contribute to our students’ academic development and excellence.
We honor all of the students, faculty, and sponsors who invest their time every year in participating in each of the competitions.
Check out our competitions and awards:
Gold, Superior and Distinguished Awards - click here.
Annual Meeting Awards - click here.
(Best Practices, Ethics Award, Inclusive Leadership Award, Project Run With It (PRWI))
Thomas J. Burns National Student Seminar - click here.
Deloitte Best Practices Plaques
Outstanding FA award plaques
Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award
Awards Student
Medal of Inspiration Winner
Best Practices Winner
Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award
Lifetime Service Award
Ethics Award Winner
Ethics Award Plaques
Outstanding Dean
Diversity Initiative Award
Inclusive Leadership Winner
BIPOY Winner
Gold Challenge Winner
Gold Challenge Plaques
Outstanding Faculty Advisor 2011
Gold Challenge Winner
BIPOY Winner
Outstanding Dean
Medal of Inspiration Plaque
Beta Alpha Psi honors the academic professionals and practitioners who have led our organization and served our students throughout the last 100 years.
Click here to see the list of our leadership.
Achievements are an important component to any organizations history. Beta Alpha Psi is honored to recognize the many people who contributed time and dedication to our students and passion for our organization.
Starting in 1974, Beta Alpha Psi began to honor one or more individuals as Accountants of the Year. Local chapters were invited to nominate an alumni from the industry or government, public accounting and education fields. In 2000, the award was re-named to Business Information Professional of the Year to include finance and information systems professionals.
Since 2011, the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) has generously sponsored a monetary reward of $2,000 to each chapter whose nominee is selected. The Business Information Professional of the Year award recognizes individuals who make significant contributions to business information professions as well as provide support to the nominating chapter.
Click here to view the list of award winners.
Beta Alpha Psi students are already "good" students. They have strong GPAs, they contribute to their communities through service, and demonstrate a commitment to professional ideals and ethics. We want to encourage them to go the next level and strive to be “great.” An integral part of this encouragement is for students to hear life stories of other students who have been particularly inspirational. The Medal of Inspiration is bestowed upon a student who has experienced extreme hardships in his or her life and who has demonstrated an unusually high level of success despite that adversity.
Click here to view the list of award winners.
Sponsored be the AICPA
Eric Fox - California State University Los Angeles 2008
Marilu Cruz - University of Washington 2009
Michael Plengrat - University of Washington 2010
Hefgine Fils-Aime - University of South Florida 2011
Paul Wright - Western Washington University 2012
Andrey Stoyan - San Diego State University 2013
Lucien Butler - Utah State University 2014
Abdul Abdullahi - University of Memphis 2015
Julya Faulkner - Ohio Northern Univesity 2016
William Chapman - James Madison University 2017
Jeffrey Deyoe - University of Colorado Boulder 2018
Indira Karimova - University of Texas at Tyler
The Outstanding Dean Award recognizes deans for their significant contribution in faculty support and/or financial support to helping achieve the goals and objectives of their university’s Beta Alpha Psi chapter. Without the dean’s support, many Beta Alpha Psi chapters would be underfunded and not able to deliver the types of programs and activities needed to provide adequate Beta Alpha Psi experience.
Click here to view the list of award winners.
2011: Dr. Gail Naughton - San Diego State University
2012: Dr. Larry Gianchetta - The University of Montana
2013: Dr. Quiester Craig - North Carolina A&T State University
2014: Dr. Bob Wood - Salisbury University
2015: Dr. Denise Schoenbachler - Northern Illinois University
2016: Dr. Stephanie Bryant - Missouri State University
2017: Dr. Mary Gowan - James Madison University
2018: Dr. Jeffrey Katz - Western Kentucky University
2019: Raghu Tadepalli, Ph.D. - Elon University
One of the most vital elements in the success of a Beta Alpha Psi chapter is the Faculty Advisor. Through countless hours of commitment, individual Faculty Advisors make substantial contributions to the professional growth and development of business financial information students. Beta Alpha Psi, through its cooperation with RSM, is privileged to recognize outstanding Faculty Advisors who have demonstrated those rare qualities that place them at the top of all the dedicated Faculty Advisors.
RSM is the proud sponsor of the BAP Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award. Each year, the BAP board reviews nominations to select five Faculty Advisors who have gone above and beyond to enhance the experience for their respective chapter. We recognize that all of the faculty advisors are dedicating so much to share their time, talents and treasures, and their efforts are definitely something to be celebrated.
The award was started in 1969 in memory of Richard S. Claire by the Andersen Foundation and has been funded by RSM (McGladrey) since 2007. Honorees receive a plaque and a cash award of $5,000 in tangible recognition of their service to Beta Alpha Psi.
Click here to view the list of award winners.
The KPMG/Bernard J. Milano Lifetime Service Award was created to honor distinguished and sustained service to the goals and purpose of Beta Alpha Psi. The award recognizes individuals who have shown a lifetime commitment to the advancement of Beta Alpha Psi, through service efforts, financial contributions or advocacy of the organization.
"This prestigious award recognizes volunteers who contributed years of distinguished and sustained service to Beta Alpha Psi and it’s students. Their dedication and support helped advance Beta Alpha Psi and its mission to promote academic excellence, ethics and service to communities in need." - Bernard J. Milano
Click here to view the list of award winners.
Beta Alpha Psi is extremely appreciative of the many contributions that our Professional Partners provide our organization. These leaders offer knowledge, experience and support to all of our students and faculty members.
In 1974, Beta Alpha Psi organized the National Advisory Forum which consisted of leaders from industry, public accounting, and government. During staggered three-year terms, the members serving on the Advisory Forum provided input from practicing accountants in decisions designed to continue Beta Alpha Psi’s position as a dynamic scholastic and professional accounting association.
In 1981, the National Advisory Forum established the Beta Alpha Psi Associates Program. The Associates Program introduced an organized source of financial support assuring funding of BAP projects undertaken in pursuit of its objectives. Programs such as the Thomas J. Burns National Student Seminar, Graduate Case Seminar, and Regional Meetings were all funded by the Advisory Forum member firms.
Since then, the National Advisory Forum and Beta Alpha Psi Associates Program has evolved into the Beta Alpha Psi Professional Partners Program. These leaders from the accounting, finance, and information systems professions continue to provide sponsorship funding for all of Beta Alpha Psi’s major competitions as well as dedicated annual financial support. Further, our Professional Partners donate significant personal volunteer time in facilitating the Leader Development Exercise, Professional Presentations, and providing meaningful networking opportunities for BAP students at the Regional and Annual Meetings.
Beta Alpha Psi expresses their deepest gratitude to the firms, companies, associations and state societies for all their support and time towards our students and the goals of our organization.
While not all of our alumni seek CPA licensure, many do. State societies provide the ongoing ability for the overall financial information industry to advance and improve. These representatives enhance the value and promote the integrity specifically of the CPA profession; contribute to the success of their members; and strengthen client, employer, public and government trust in the advice, work products, and opinions that licensed financial professionals provide.
"The California Society of CPAs (CalCPA) is the largest state society in the nation with almost 45,000 members. Our student members and student outreach programs are a top priority and our ongoing relationship with Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) is a key link. CalCPA is proud to be the first state CPA society that became a BAP Professional Partner. BAP students understand the importance of a professional association and the benefits it offers at all stages of their career. Many of our CalCPA Campus Ambassadors who are on over thirty university/college campuses are BAP members. They are excellent role models and advocates for the profession." - John F. Angelo
"As a proud professional partner, the Illinois CPA Society has supported Beta Alpha Psi members in the Midwest region through scholarships, resources, and programs. Through regular interaction and most recently at the Midwest Regional Conference, BAP student and faculty members have proven to be outstanding representatives of the future of the accounting and finance professions." - Devin Payne
"Achieving future-ready success is a team effort. Being partners in accounting excellence with BAP today, sustains our awesome accounting community with the bright accounting talent of tomorrow." - Natasha Schamberger
"Students are our future members and the future of the great accounting & finance profession. The Maryland Association of CPAs is proud to be a partner with BAP in making our future, future ready!" - Rebekah Brown
As the principal employers of our BAP alumni, the firms and companies represented on the Professional Partners provide our students a view into life after their academic careers without necessarily the stress that they may experience during the actual interview process. Representatives of this subset of the Partners provide BAP’s International Board of Directors insight on the changing landscape of the financial information job opportunities. Their contributions of time, talent, and treasure are invaluable to the overall success of our students.
"As a professional services firm that prides itself on helping people thrive, we have found a similar connection with Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) members across the country. BDO’s professionals are dedicated, hard-working individuals who continually give back to their communities — and we see these essential traits mirrored in BAP members. BAP members have consistently shown professionalism, strong networking skills and professional knowledge. We continue to support and welcome BAP alumni at BDO." - Stephanie Tyler
"Fifth Third Bank has been working with Beta Alpha Psi for more than 13 years, giving us the resources and connections to find top talent across the globe in finance, information technology and accounting. We applaud Beta Alpha Psi’s commitment to supporting top-tier students academically. That commitment complements our bank’s core values, as well as our goal to put the customer at the center. Many of our leaders were Beta Alpha Psi members in college, and we’ll continue to sponsor Beta Alpha Psi so that they can help future students – our future leaders – grow and develop from school into successful careers. Congratulations to Beta Alpha Psi for its 100-year anniversary, and we look forward to what the future holds as we continue to work together." - Nick Milazzo
"Initially, I believed that BAP was a means to an end; an avenue to get a job. But 20 years after my national exposure to BAP, it has proven to be much more than a job conduit. It is about talented high performing students and faculty showing the impact they can have on their communities, their schools and themselves. Watching students rapidly and successfully develop into talented business professionals is a benefit to me that can't be measured but is enjoyed by many. So to end, how would I describe a BAPer: Innovative, passionate, respected, daring. Intelligent, professional, impactful, caring. Learning and teaching and growing and sharing. And always with pride, their BAP badge they're wearing." - Blane Ruschak
"Silke Olsen is the Recruiting Associate Director for Moss Adams. She has served as a Professional Partner since 2010. Moss Adams is proud to be a longstanding partner with BAP as both organizations are anchored in a like commitment to serving our communities." - Silke Olsen
"Many of Protiviti’s leaders were once members of Beta Alpha Psi at a number of Universities and they appreciate the continued commitment to an organization that helped each one of them in their search for entry level employment. We can’t wait to see what the NEXT 100 years hold for Beta Alpha Psi!" - Casey Jo Chapman
"RSM US LLP has been a proud partner of Beta Alpha Psi for many years. We consider it an honor to have the opportunity to work so closely with such a dynamic group of students who are taking the charge in becoming tomorrow’s leaders. Having a platform for students, faculty and employers to come together and discuss trends, best practices and insights has enabled BAP to build a community that is shaping the future of the financial industry. RSM is also the proud sponsor of the BAP Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award. Each year, the BAP board reviews nominations to select five faculty advisors who have gone above and beyond to enhance the experience for their respective chapter. Award recipient receives a plaque and a cash award of $5,000 from RSM in recognition of this great honor. We recognize that all of the faculty advisors are dedicating so much to share their time, talents and treasures and their efforts are definitely something to be celebrated. Happy 100 year anniversary to BAP – we look forward to celebrating many more years of success together." - Jen Shepley
"Wipfli has always partnered with BAP at the universities that we recruit at and we participated in the 2018 Annual Conference as an exhibitor. Through that experience, we decided to be a professional partner and it has been rewarding so far! We enjoy being able to connect with other professional partners in the industry and share knowledge with one another to continue to ensure that we grow, innovate, and achieve competitive advantage. We were also able to connect with faculty from universities that we have not recruited at and learned about their programs and how we can mutually benefit from one another. Needless to say, the Wipfli brand awareness has increased tremendously through the partnership with BAP, the ability to connect with students all over the country has really played a part in securing great talent that bring in an elevated set of knowledge, skill set, and professionalism. Forward thinking from the very beginning, Beta Alpha Psi will continue to challenge its members to stay up to date with the fast moving trends of the world by integrating financial, business, and information technology topics and workshops, providing a more wholistic thinking to the industry. Beta Alpha Psi will also continue to focus on giving back to the community and experience growth in membership by increasing investment in students as professionals who will continue to elevate the trends in the industry, and be leaders of the future." - Kristin Kallies
"Beta Alpha Psi's members are the future champions of small businesses around the world. Xero is proud to support these accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals who will help millions of business owners achieve their dreams. And, by promoting fiscal responsibility and financial literacy to their clients, they will help prevent good businesses from failing for bad reasons. Xero is honored to help the Beta Alpha Psi organization provide its members with the tools they need to achieve. Whether it be education, best practices, thought leadership, or mentoring, all chapters should share access to the same resources for breeding success." - Evan Hall
Our Partners representing both the CPA review courses and professional education provide our BAP students/alumni the next rung in their professional development. But their mission is far more than simply providing professional licensing exam preparation. Their university/professor outreach programs provide that necessary boost to curricula by bringing the real world of financial information into the classroom. They have the opportunity to interact with our students in a way that allows for free-form mentoring and conveyance of essential skills.
"It has been an honor for Becker Professional Education to stand side-by-side with Beta Alpha Psi as a partner for the past 15 years as we both work to ensure students achieve their goals within the accounting and finance fields. Throughout our journey together, we have been able to work with students at the local chapter level, as well as regional and national events, creating lasting bonds with many BAP students. “The experience you receive from pledging and participating in all of the activities to learning and leadership skills can set you up for great success as you enter into the workforce and I am proud to now be able to give back to the students as I once was in their same shoes,” noted Mike Brown, Director of Product Management for Becker Professional Education and Professional Partner with BAP. It is not surprising that many of BAP’s professional partners have stayed involved with them for many years. We believe it is an incredibly well-run organization and Becker Professional Education is honored to work with BAP year after year. Congratulations on 100 years of inspiring and shaping future CPA’s!" - Michael Brown
"For several years, Roger CPA Review has been fortunate enough to partner with Beta Alpha Psi. During this time, we have been able to connect with some of the brightest students and professionals in the accounting profession. As the landscape of the industry evolves, Beta Alpha Psi continues to look for new ways to prepare students for the future by providing them with the tools they need to succeed." - Tyler Skelton
"Being part of Beta Alpha Psi has been an incredible experience, both professionally and personally. The opportunity to assist students in expanding their horizons along with learning from them as well, is a benefit that is in my experience, unique to our organization. Being actively involved with the students, academics and professionals is truly a reward that continues to give. Here's to the next 100 years!" - Paul Wiese
As an organization devoted to the advancement of financial information professionals, the various professional associations/not-for-profits represented by our Partners provide a myriad of opportunities that our students/alumni might not otherwise obtain. These Partners highlight the networking opportunities, credibility and career opportunities that can be obtained by affiliating with these associations.
"At GMAC, our purpose is to ensure that talent, such as that displayed within Beta Alpha Psi’s membership, never goes undiscovered. Undergraduate students and early working professionals with an interest in accounting, finance, and other business functions perform well in graduate business programs and tend to have interests that align with the schools GMAC represents. The benefits of continuing into graduate business school include leadership opportunities, earning potential, and network development. For this reason, GMAC and Beta Alpha Psi enjoy a natural partnership, ensuring members continue to grow in their academic and professional achievements and share their experience with the future generation. We notice that Beta Alpha Psi members understand the profound impact that business leaders can make on the world and we look forward to supporting future leaders with access to an outstanding graduate management education." - Christa Johnson
"As a professional partner of Beta Alpha Psi for several years, The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) appreciates the exposure to bright, talented accounting and finance students we might not otherwise be able to reach. The IIA’s goal in our partnership with BAP is to connect local IIA Chapters with promising students in their region to present them with a potential career opportunity in the intriguing profession of internal auditing. The IIA and BAP are two long standing organizations whose partnership creates excellent synergies and we hope to continue this mutually beneficial relationship for years to come." - Maunda Land
"Confucius said, “If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of 10 years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.” Congratulations to Beta Alpha Psi on a century of teaching students about the importance of leadership and service, enriching lives, and contributing to the profession! IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants) is also celebrating its centennial milestone in 2019 and is proud to be a long time collaborative partner of such a wonderful organization." - Jodi Ryan
"As an organization that helps Boards of Accountancy ensure accounting professionals are acting with high character and competence, NASBA is proud to serve as a professional partner with Beta Alpha Psi (BAP). Through BAP chapter activities and conferences, NASBA recognizes the positive impact this partnership has on students majoring in accounting, finance and information systems. In addition to helping provide resources that help students navigate their path toward sitting for the CPA Exam and becoming licensed CPAs, NASBA is also proud to be working with BAP students to enhance their ethical decision-making and leadership skills. NASBA is honored to help judge the best practices competitions for BAP chapters, because we have seen over the years how this has helped students improve their chapters, communication skills and ability to work in teams, which is essential as they move into their full time careers. After developing and sustaining such a worthwhile program over the first 100 years, NASBA is excited to see how Beta Alpha Psi will continue to make an even greater impact over the next 100 years." - Alfonzo Alexander & Ryan Hirsch
Beta Alpha Psi has survived a Great Depression, wars, a Great Recession and ever-changing technology. Our mission is to inspire and support excellence for all of our students and professionals. The mission serves as the roots of our organization keeping us strong and thriving.
In keeping with our mission of providing our students opportunities for service, Beta Alpha Psi added a Community Service Day event, sponsored by KPMG and the KPMG Foundation, to the annual meetings. From 1999 through 2012, Community Service activities ranged from cleaning inner city parks to participating in Project Homeless Connect.
Since 2013, BAP along with KPMG and KPMG Foundation have collaborated with regional United Way offices, to launch BAP International Day of Literacy. The event offers students the opportunity to provide books to young children in underserved neighborhoods and teach them the importance of literacy in their lives. At the end of the day, each child goes home with a brand new book. Since 2013, we have given out over 19,000 books.
BAP International Day of Literacy has not only impacted our students on the importance of service, but the young lives that they served. Many communities that BAP has visited for their annual conference have continued the tradition of a summer literacy event which shows the long-term impact BAP has on communities throughout the country
Beta Alpha Psi is grateful to KPMG LLP and KPMG Foundation for all their support.
Click here to view highlights from our recent Community Service Day events.
Beta Alpha Psi always believed that inclusiveness started at the national level and was subsequently communicated to the chapters. Despite originally being an all-male fraternity, during a Grand Council meeting in September 1950, the council members acknowledged that Beta Alpha Psi needed to be a more inclusive organization as more universities were becoming co-educational. The Council amended the constitution to permit eligible women and minority students into Beta Alpha Psi. On September 9, 1950, the constitution was amended to use the word “student” instead of the words “male person” as previously written.
By acting to advance professional opportunity for women and minority students in accounting, the Grand Council also assured growth in membership for Beta Alpha Psi with this change. At the national level, Beta Alpha Psi encouraged all chapters to embrace the change, even though it may have taken time for the adjustment.
Beta Alpha Psi continues to be committed to promoting a positive awareness at the international and chapter level by incorporating diverse professional and community service activities into the Program for Chapter Activities (PCA).
First African-American male Beta Alpha Psi President 2003-04, T. Sterling Wetzel, Oklahoma State University
First African-American woman to serve as Beta Alpha Psi President 1990-91, Larzette G. Hale, Brigham Young University
First woman to serve on the National Council of Beta Alpha Psi and the first woman President of Beta Alpha Psi - 1977-78, Doris Cook, University of Arkansas
First African-American member of Beta Alpha Psi - William L. Campfield - Rho Chapter, 1937
One of the earliest female Faculty Adivsors, Cecilia Tierney, Xi Chapter 1950
Luzine B. Bickham, Theta Chapter, 1957
First female member of Beta Alpha Psi, Jeannine Skelton, Omega Chapter, 1950
Regional meetings provide students the opportunity to develop communication skills (both written and oral), while also giving an opportunity for members to exchange ideas concerning chapter operations and activities in both formal and informal settings. Regional meetings also offer the opportunity for general leadership training for officers and members. These meetings are a great way for members to represent their chapter and display professional skills through networking and participating in the Best Practices competition.
Annual meetings bring everyone together from across the United States, Australia and New Zealand to participate in BAP International Day of Literacy, compete in Best Practices and Project Run With It, as well as engage in networking opportunities with other students and professionals and attend educational sessions.
As more schools got AACSB accreditation, more schools petitioned for BAP chapters.
Click here to view the list of chapter growth through the decades.
This is the most important tree of all. Our organization’s success is because of the faculty advisors and students who make us the premier student financial honors organization for accounting, finance and information systems majors.
