Students, accounting professors and WSB partners gathered for a group photo on February 4. Pictured, left to right, Sheila Hicks, Bill Herrmann, Bob Gjellum, Melanie Valdez, Lyle Hood, Alfred Petross, Ron Chapman, Kelsey Sellars, Carla Gossage, Dr. Michael Tomlin, Sheryl Abeyta, Taylor Crowther, Connor Schultz, Scott Gesling, Dr. Linda Reid, Natalie Rogers, and Lorenzo Cepeda.
For over 30 years, Wall, Smith, Bateman Inc. has awarded over 250 accounting scholarships to Adams State University students. The current partners, including Ron Chapman, Bob Gjellum, Sheila Hicks, Lyle Hood, Mike Hudson, Kimberley Temple, Melanie Valdez, Karla Willschau, and David Young, continue the dedication to the Adams State accounting program.
The WSB scholarship recipients for the 2015/2016 academic year include Lorenzo Cepeda, Taylor Crowther, Scott Gesling, Carla Gossage, Alfred Petross, Connor Schultz, and Kelsey Sellars.
This is the second year Sellars has received the scholarship. "I appreciate the partners at Wall, Smith, Bateman investing in me and my future."
Wall, Smith, Bateman Inc., a local certified public accounting firm, considers Adams State University to be a great partner, and contributed $7000 for scholarships to deserving accounting students. The majority of the accountants that work at Wall, Smith, Bateman Inc. graduated from Adams State and the firm attributes much of their success to the fact that the Adams State School of Business has an exceptional accounting program. The firm is grateful to Adams State for the start given their employees and is happy to help future accountants to obtain their accounting degree through the scholarship. The firm also participates with Adams State by providing select students with an internship program of which certain past and current scholarship recipients benefited.
Dr. Michael Tomlin, Adams State School of Business chair, said the business school is extremely appreciative of Wall Smith Bateman and their continued support for the students. "They open their doors for internships for our accounting students, they hire our best, and then they provide scholarships directly to our students. They could not be better friends, on behalf of all of us in the School of Business and Adams State University, – a heartfelt thank you for your generosity and support."
The accounting firm has been awarding scholarships since 1982; the average number of recipients per year is 8 with approximately 255 scholarships awarded in the last 33 years.
