Accounting Excellence Scholarship

Champlain’s Accounting Excellence Scholarship Fund celebrates decades of teaching excellence by Champlain's distinguished Accounting faculty. The annually awarded fund support two Accounting students who demonstrate both academic merit and financial need.

As of 2008, 2,000 of Champlain's Accounting graduates have benefited from the experience and mentoring of the College's seven current Accounting faculty who have recently surpassed a combined total of 200 years of service: Walt Luchini (39 years), Champ Soncrant (36 years), Eadie Templin (31 years), Thane Butt (26 years), Mitch Thibault (26 years), Nancy Wells (24 years) and David Mona (22 years). Their impact is noticeable when you walk into Vermont accounting firms, captive insurance firms and a variety of business organizations and take note of the saturation of Champlain Accounting graduates.

"This scholarship extends the legacy of these Accounting faculty members in perpetuity," said Champlain College President David F. Finney. "These individuals help define the caliber of the education for which Champlain is renowned: a student-centered experience made relevant by the real-world lessons of their professors."

Accounting is a rapidly growing field in today's economy, and each year Champlain's Accounting students are wooed by the region's businesses and firms. Students typically land a job by December of their senior year -- some deciding between two and three offers.

The College keeps its Accounting curriculum up to date by modifying and adding courses most relevant to the times. For example, a popular new course has been Forensic Accounting, where students learn fraud examination techniques, interview techniques, rules of evidence relating to internal control methodology, asset misappropriation and financial statement misrepresentation. Students explore rules of evidence as they relate to several different fraudulent activities including money laundering, cash skimming and embezzlement.

Visit Champlain’s Office of Advancement for more information on the Accounting Excellence Scholarship Fund.