Connor Deeks remembers when he first knew he wanted to study accounting. 

"I was in Amy Bourne's Intro to Financial Accounting class and saw how much professionalism is associated with accounting," Deeks said. "I saw how far this degree and the profession can take you."

A two-year recipient of the Mary Ellen Phillips Scholarship, which is annually awarded to an accountancy student, Deeks graduated in spring 2013 with degrees in accountancy and Spanish. 

Deeks believes accounting is a discipline with well-defined rules and a career with a wealth of options. As an undergraduate, he interned with PricewaterhouseCoopers in both Seattle and Switerzerland. The impact he made during his internship led to a permanent job oppotunity with the company, which he started upon graduation.