Pub. 1 2019 Issue 6

17 nebraska society of cpas W W W . N E S C P A . O R G AWARDS NESCPA In recognition of her outstanding ability to educate and care for accounting students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the Nebraska Society of CPAs honored Jillian K. Poyzer of Omaha, Neb., with the Society’s 2019 Outstanding Accounting Educator Award during its Annual Meeting. Poyzer holds a Bachelor of Accounting fromOklahoma Christian University and a Master of Accounting from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She began her professional career in 2003 as an accounting intern at Devon Energy in Oklahoma City, Okla. In 2004, following a move to Omaha for grad school, she worked as a graduate assistant at the Nebraska Business Development Center at UNO. After receiving her master’s degree, Poyzer joined BKD in Omaha in 2006, earning her CPA license in 2008. In 2011, Poyzer heard the classroom calling and left public accounting to start her career in education. She joined the faculty at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2011. Poyzer is currently an accounting lecturer, internship coordinator, and accounting career advisor for UNO’s School of Accounting. Over the years, Poyzer has taught and guided hundreds of college accounting students. Outside of the classroom, she has been involved with the promotion of the CPA profession by helping to successfully connect students and employers. In 2015, Poyzer created and continues to lead UNO’s Accounting Careers Program, which provides students with resources regarding the various accounting career paths. Through the program, she organizes events throughout the year that provide networking opportunities for students and accounting professionals. A member of the Nebraska Society of CPAs since 2009, Poyzer has served on the Society’s Accounting Careers Committee for the past several years. Dr. Susan Eldridge, CPA, who is the Union Pacific professor of accounting and director of the School of Accounting for the University of Nebraska at Omaha, shared the following: “Jillian Poyzer is an exceptionally gifted, student-centered, practice-oriented lecturer whose students appreciate her guidance, direction, and support. Her passion to prepare students for successful professional accounting careers motivates her to engage students in active learning both in and out of the classroom. Jillian’s primary expertise is taxation, and she adeptly teaches not only individual and corporate income taxation but also accounting principles to both honors students and non-business majors. Her student mentoring, her engagement with students and employers as UNO’s accounting career advisor and internship coordinator, and her development and effective leadership of the Accounting Careers Program extend her positive impact beyond the classroom.” She received the College of Business Dean’s Cit at ion i n Recogn it ion of Excellence in Teaching in 2018 and the UNO Distinguished Alumni Outstanding Teaching Award earlier this year. In support of her nomination for the Society’s award, Lauren Duren, who was the 2015 UNO Accounting Student of the Year and is now a senior accountant at Lutz in Omaha, wrote, “Ms. Jillian Poyzer is a prime example of an excellent accounting educator. . . . [Her] passion for accounting and teaching has positively impacted the lives of many students. Ms. Poyzer cares about her students and their future careers, the discipline and lessons being taught, and the fairness for all those involved. . . . “Her students appreciate the perspective she brings into the classroom, having been in the profession prior to teaching. The information presented in her lectures connects the concepts to real life’ for a complete understanding of thematerial. Ms. Poyzer has had an integral impact on her students’ career paths. Not only did she applaud questions in class that deviated from the lesson plan, but [she] gives a great deal of her time in office hours and outside business hours to meet with students to discuss career opportunities. She has been a sounding board for many to discuss their experiences, background, and career aspirations. Ms. Poyzer has not only left an impression on countless students inside the classroom, but she’s been a steady resource to UNO and the accounting industry. Ms. Poyzer leads UNO’s accounting careers program, where she couples her public accounting expe r ie nce w it h t he loc a l Oma ha and regional accounting community, delivering quality candidates for firms and, in turn, meaningful opportunities for students. Ms. Poyzer is more than deserving of this award. She has impacted countless UNO students’ lives and will continue for years to come. She is a humble person who does not seek the spotlight, but is someone who definitely deserves it today!” t The purpose of the Outstanding Accounting Educator Award is to recognize full-time Nebraska accounting educators for excellence in accounting education. The nominee must be a CPA, be a member of the Nebraska Society, be a full-time accounting educator at a college or university, and be in good standing with the profession. JILLIAN POYZER RECOGNIZED FOR UNSELFISH SERVICE AS ACCOUNTING EDUCATOR