Accounting & Information Systems - Virginia Tech

08/17/2026

We’re proud to celebrate two of our own! 🧡

Congratulations to Sarah Stein and Kimberly Walker on receiving the 2026 American Accounting Association Deloitte Foundation Wildman Medal Award.

Their accomplishments reflect the strength of our Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business faculty and our commitment to impactful research, exceptional teaching, and the preparation of future accounting professionals.

Virginia Tech Deloitte |

We love celebrating the people who make the Pamplin community so special! 🧡

Congratulations to Accounting & Information Systems - Virginia Tech professors Sarah Stein and Kimberly Walker, recipients of the 2026 American Accounting Association Deloitte Foundation Wildman Medal Award! The award recognizes research that makes a meaningful contribution to the professional practice of accounting.

There’s another in this photo, too! Sarah and Kim are pictured alongside Karneisha Wolfe, a Virginia Tech Ph.D. alumna and Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

We’re proud to see Pamplin faculty and alumni making an impact in the accounting profession and representing the Virginia Tech community along the way.

Deloitte |

04/27/2026

The Virginia Tech Department of Accounting and Information Systems is proud to share new research published in Management Science by Dr. Michelle Lowry and Dr. Marshall Vance (Virginia Tech), in collaboration with Dr. Anthony Vance (Virginia Tech Department of Business Information Technology).

Their paper, “Inexpert Supervision: Field Evidence on Boards’ Oversight of Cybersecurity,” explores how boards take on the growing responsibility of cybersecurity oversight despite limited technical expertise.

Through interviews with directors, CISOs, and consultants, the authors show that:

- Directors without cybersecurity backgrounds are active and well-intentioned, but their efforts often remain more symbolic than substantive
- Many nonexpert directors genuinely believe they are fulfilling their duties, even when their oversight lacks depth
- Reliance on CISOs to define both the information and the terms of oversight can create “circular governance”

By highlighting the gap between effort and expertise, the study sheds light on why board-level cybersecurity knowledge is critical—and how it can shape regulatory debates and governance practices.

Read the article: https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.04147

04/22/2026

At our MACIS Pizza Party 🍕 on March 18, we recognized this year’s student superlative winners as voted on by their classmates. These students are already making an impact and showing incredible promise for the future!

Sloan Grant & Liam Downey – Most Likely to Become a Partner
Caleigh Wilson – Most Likely to Become an Executive
Olivia Batten – Most Likely to Become an Entrepreneur
Arshia Homayouni – Most Likely to Become a Professor
Kyrsten Shawah & Matthew Hollander – Best Leader
Gavin Carraway – Best All-Around Classmate

Congratulations!🎉

04/21/2026

Please join us in congratulating Michael Walker, a student in our Master’s of Accounting and Information Systems Program, on earning an outstanding 90 on the FAR section of the CPA Exam! 👏

The Financial Accounting and Reporting section is widely regarded as one of the most challenging parts of the CPA exam, requiring a strong understanding of complex accounting standards and extensive preparation. Scoring a 90 is a remarkable accomplishment and a testament to Michael’s dedication and hard work.

We’re proud to celebrate this achievement and look forward to all that’s ahead for him!

04/20/2026

Please join us in congratulating Cecilia Sun, third-year PhD student in Accounting and Information Systems, on being named a recipient of the 2026 Deloitte Foundation Doctoral Fellowship! 👏

Cecilia is one of just 10 students selected nationwide, recognizing her outstanding potential as a researcher.

“Receiving this fellowship is truly an honor. I am grateful for the support and recognition, which motivates me to keep pushing myself as an independent researcher. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of the ACIS program at Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business. The faculty are generous with their time and guidance, and the environment here is collaborative. I have learned so much through their mentorship and from working alongside my peers.”

Cecilia’s achievement reflects not only her dedication to research, but also the strength of the community around her. We’re so proud of you, Cecilia! 👏

03/17/2026

🎉Congratulations to Virginia Tech PhD alum Dr. Jess Filosa on receiving the Outstanding Auditing Dissertation Award at the American Accounting Association Audit Section Meeting.

Now an assistant Professor at The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse School of Accountancy, Dr. Filosa continues to be recognized for her exceptional doctoral research and contributions to the auditing field.

“I’m incredibly honored to receive the Outstanding Auditing Dissertation Award. Thank you so much to the selection committee for recognizing my work. This award has been given to many scholars I admire, so being included alongside them truly means a lot.

I’m deeply grateful to my dissertation committee, especially my chair, Sarah Stein, for their guidance, support, and mentorship throughout this process. Thank you to everyone at Virginia Tech for the encouragement I received during my PhD. I’m also thankful for my time at the EY Richmond office, where working on SOC reporting first sparked my interest in outsourcing and third-party risk—an area of practice that plays a critical role in auditing but has received relatively little attention in academic research, and one that has become increasingly important in my teaching as I prepare students for real-world audit challenges.

And finally, thank you to my colleagues at Alabama for creating a culture that encourages me to pursue the questions I care about and bring that curiosity into the classroom. I’m incredibly grateful to be part of a community that supports both my research and my teaching.”

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Filosa on this well-deserved award! 👏

02/19/2026

is coming to an end – but there’s still time to jump in! Keep the momentum going by making a gift to the ACIS department: https://givingday.vt.edu/giving-day/107794/donate?des=728341&dept=107798

02/18/2026

Giving Day is still going strong. Show your support to the ACIS Department by giving now: https://givingday.vt.edu/giving-day/107794/donate?des=728341&dept=107798

02/18/2026

It’s time, ACIS Hokies – is here, and now’s your moment to jump in and move the ACIS department forward! Start building momentum, make your gift now: https://givingday.vt.edu/giving-day/107794/donate?des=728341&dept=107798

02/09/2026