Washburn University Alumnus Cashes in on Education to Capitalize on CPA Exam Results

     Topeka, Kan. – Washburn University alumnus Bradley Koch is a winner of the 2023 Elijah Watt Sells Award. This distinguishes Koch as one of the top 40 CPA candidates in the country, out of the 86,000 who sat for the exam in 2023. The Elijah Watt Sells Award is granted to CPA candidates who obtain a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination, pass all four sections on their first attempt and have completed testing in 2023.

     “The Washburn School of Business, especially the accounting program, did a great job of preparing me for the CPA exam. My professors often called out important topics in class that were heavily tested on the CPA exam,” said Koch. “During my time at Washburn, there were many professors and staff who had a positive impact on my education, especially Dr. Barbara Scofield and Professor Jim Martin. Both professors greatly contributed to my success at Washburn and after.” 

     Koch graduated from Washburn University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and finance and a Master of Accountancy in May 2022. He is employed with Koch CPA, Chartered in Clyde, Kansas, which is the business founded by his father, Jeff Koch, also a Washburn University alumnus. Koch CPA focuses on agriculture, business taxation and tax and tax planning.

     Koch stated, “I also took advantage of the internship program [at Washburn], where I spent a semester with BT & Co. gathering real-life experience on topics that are difficult to teach in the classroom, while obtaining graduate credits. When I graduated from Washburn, I felt fully prepared for a career in accounting.”

     The Elijah Watt Sells Award program was established by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) in 1923 to recognize outstanding performance on the CPA Exam, as well as to honor Sells, one of the country’s first CPAs. A founding member of the firm now known as Deloitte, Sells was active in the establishment of the AICPA and played a significant role in advancing education within the profession. Learn more about this award and the other 2023 recipients by visiting https://www.aicpa-cima.com/certifications/article/aicpa-recognizes-extraordinary-2023-cpa-exam-performers-with-elijah-watt-sells-award

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