AICPA Announces the Winner of the George Krull/Grant Thornton EDGE in Teaching Award

The AICPA & CIMA have announced Holly Hawk, Ph.D., CPA, CGMA, as the recipient of the George Krull/Grant Thornton EDGE in Teaching Award for 2023. The EDGE in Teaching Award, established by the AICPA in partnership with Grant Thornton, celebrates educators who show excellence in accounting education, dynamic teaching, groundbreaking techniques, and engagement in the classroom.

The award recognizes successful leading-edge practices in the teaching of junior- or senior-level accounting courses that continue to enhance accounting majors’ interest in accounting and to encourage pursuing the CPA profession as a career. Hawk’s “Building Higher Order Thinking Skills through Assessment of User Account Access Management” case has done just that.

Hawk’s Internal Audit IT Test case study used Excel and IDEA and is a real-life case study and can be adopted to AID, Auditing or any other graduate or undergraduate class. It blends a multitude of things, such as accounting technical skills and technology skills. It helps to build students’ higher-level thinking skills while including competencies that are part of in the AICPA’s Foundational Competencies Framework for Aspiring CPAs.

“It is with great pleasure that we present Holly Hawk with the George Krull/Grant Thornton EDGE in Teaching Award,” said Jan Taylor, CPA, CGMA, Ph.D., Academic in Residence and Senior Director, Academic and Student Engagement at the AICPA. “Holly’s dedication to accounting education, her deep industry experience, and her leadership in professional organizations make her a truly deserving recipient of this honor. She embodies the values and qualities that we seek to recognize through this award. Her winning case study only showcases her understanding of both the current needs of the profession and the need for engaging classroom activities for students.”

Hawk is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Clemson University, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping the minds of future accounting professionals. At Clemson University, Hawk teaches Analytics for Accounting Decision Making and Accounting Information Systems courses, empowering her students to develop the skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly evolving business landscape. Her contributions extend beyond the classroom. She actively participates in various academic and practitioner conferences, ensuring she stays abreast of the latest trends and developments in the field. Her dedication and expertise have earned her recognition, including being named to the “40 under 40” list by the CPA Practice Advisor for two consecutive years, 2021 and 2022.

Winners to share work at the American Accounting Association annual meeting.

Hawk will have an opportunity to share her work at this year’s American Accounting Association annual meeting in Denver, CO.

“We thank the AAA for granting these educators a platform to present their exciting cases,” said Anna Howard, CPA, Senior Manager of Academic Initiatives for the AICPA. “We appreciate the support from Grant Thornton to help encourage technology-focused, innovative ideas in accounting education.”

In addition, Holly will receive $5,000 and a commemorative vase. The submission materials will be posted to the Academic Resource Database, alongside past winners. For more on this outstanding professional educator and her award-winning case, click here.

Past winners, eligibility requirements and additional information on this award can be found on ThisWayToCPA.com.