June 24, 2011

 

Contacts:

Dr. Debra Johnson, College of Business, 657-1606
Dan Carter, University Relations, 657-2269

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — Dr. Debra Johnson, an associate professor of accounting and business law at Montana State University Billings, was honored this week by the Montana Society of Certified Public Accountants as the top accounting educator in the state.

 

Johnson, who has been teaching at the MSU Billings College of Business since 2003, awarded the 2011 Jack Kemper Outstanding Educator Award at the society’s 98th annual meeting in Billings. The award is presented “to an educator who exemplifies the impact educators have on our profession.”

 

Dr. Debra JohnsonA CPA and attorney who teaches accounting upper-level accounting and business law at MSU Billings, Johnson was noted in nomination material for her rigor and fairness in the classroom. She reaches beyond the classroom, however, to work on community service projects and research.

 

She has published four articles in peer-reviewed journals since 2007 and works the United Way on Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, helping local residents with free tax preparation. The students do the work free of charge for low-income and elderly residents and through Johnson’s help, students earn credit for the work and can improve their client-relation skills and their tax-preparation skills.

 

MSU Billings students have been assisting the needy with tax preparation for more than 25 years.

 

In addition to Johnson’s award, a recent MSU Billings graduate and a current students were honored. Amy Marcotte of Billings, who was the 2001 Outstanding Graduate in the College of Business, was selected as a MSCPA Medallion Award Winner and Karson Rosander, an MSU Billings senior from Colstrip, was awarded the Anthony Gerharz Scholarship.

 

The College of Business is one of five academic colleges at MSU Billings, a comprehensive regional university in Montana’s largest city. Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the College of Business offers programs in accounting, marketing, management, finance and general business.

 

This fall, the entire accounting program will be offered online, making it easier than ever for place-bound students, working professions or other students to put an accounting career within reach.

 

To find out more about MSU Billings College of Business offerings, call the Office of New Student Services at 657-2888 or go to https://www.msubillings.edu/cob/.

 

PHOTO ABOVE: Dr. Debra Johnson was awarded the 2011 Jack Kemper Outstanding Educator Award by the Montana Society of Certified Public Accountants at its 98th annual meeting in Billings this week.