ACFE Foundation awards scholarships in 21st year of Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship Program

The ACFE Foundation has awarded $58,000 to college and university students through the Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship Program for the 2015-2016 school year. Each recipient also will receive a one-year ACFE student membership.

The ACFE Foundation, a nonprofit entity, raises funds to support the scholarship program for the education of students worldwide who have an interest in pursuing a career in fraud examination or similar fields. Candidates must be enrolled in accounting, business administration, finance or criminal justice higher-education programs. ACFE chapters and ACFE members help underwrite the scholarships with donations. Also, royalties from books written by ACFE founder and Chairman Dr. Joseph T. Wells, CFE, CPA, help fund the scholarships.

An independent board of directors manages the ACFE Foundation. Its members include: Thomas Shaw, CFE, chairman; Joseph Ford, CFE, secretary; ACFE Vice President and Program Director Bruce Dorris, J.D., CFE, CPA, CVA, treasurer; Vice President of Administration Jeanette LeVie, CFE; and Vice President and General Counsel John Warren, J.D., CFE.

The ACFE Scholarship Committee reviews scholarship applications and recommends recipients to the ACFE Foundation Board of Directors.

"I'm always impressed with the applications of the young men and women from around the world," says R. Frank Abel, CFE, CPA, CFF, committee chairman. "Be proud of your accomplishments. We look forward to sharing long and fruitful careers as members of our family of fraud fighters.

"I would like to express my sincere thanks to my fellow scholarship committee members for their diligent efforts — Lynn Norton-DeMets, CFE; Cindy Greenman, Ph.D., CFE; Paul Soos, CFE; and Jesse Weideman, CFE, CMA. Each of them provided sincere and honest considerations of each applicant's potential as a scholarship participant.

"We could not have completed our duties without the hard work of Lupe De Leon [ACFE scholarship committee liaison]," says Abel. "She provided us with direction, support, advice and friendship. She made the scholarship process seamless."

Dorris says that the ACFE Foundation is grateful to the members who contribute to the scholarship program. "Our profession can't survive unless we support the education of our future fraud examiners," he says. "We're not automatically self-perpetuating. Experienced CFEs have to support the new generation of anti-fraud professionals."

The ACFE's Board of Regents voted to name the scholarship program the Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarships in 1998. Tracy Ritchie, CFE, and Larry Jennings, CFE, CPA, were killed Nov. 12, 1997, in Karachi, Pakistan, when terrorists fired on their vehicle during a business trip.

For more information about the Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship Program and applying for the 2016-2017 academic year, visit the Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship Program page.

Following are the recipients of the top seven awards:

	$10,000 scholarship: Emily Steelman, University of Oklahoma Emily Steelman is enrolled in her university's five-year Master's of Accountancy program and maintains a 3.82 GPA. She's an intern in Ernst & Young's Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services practice. Among other projects, Steelman has worked on estate litigation and federal claims fraud in the wake of natural disasters. Her assignment group has a strong practice in FCPA compliance and monitoring — skills that she hopes to further develop. Steelman speaks French and has a strong interest in traveling to other countries and using her language skills to perform FCPA work. Previously, she was an intern at the FBI, at which she was exposed to a RICO case and cases involving mail and wire fraud. During her time with the FBI, Emily was able to complete its FCPA training module, as well as other modules on more general accounting topics. All of these experiences have solidified her resolve to better her community by fighting fraud. Her short-term goals include obtaining the CFE and CPA credentials and continuing her work with EY. Ultimately, Steelman says she'd like to transition back into federal law enforcement.
	$5,000 scholarship: Di Nang, CUNY — Baruch College  Di Nang, a native of Vietnam, is a financial investigation intern with an international banking and financial services company. She's also a graduate student in accounting with a 3.28 GPA. First-hand fraud investigation of cases in the financial industry have exposed her to various legal/regulatory inquiries, fraud issues, and anti-money laundering (AML) cases that have offered her a practical and hands-on approach to a thorough understanding of banking systems, basic federal consumer financial laws and AML. By working closely with CFEs in her department, she has experienced a close-up view of their perspectives on fraud examination techniques, which has increased her knowledge about research methodologies. Nang is a student member of the local ACFE chapter. Her attendance as a student scholarship recipient at the 25th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference has inspired her to work toward earning the CFE credential. She also hopes to become a CPA. .
	$5,000 scholarship: Linette Rousseau, Georgia Southern University  Linette Rousseau is finishing a Master's in Forensic Accounting and has passed the Certified Fraud Examiners' exam. She has a Bachelor's in Psychology and believes human behavior is a key piece of the fraud equation. Rousseau is involved in curricular activities such as Junior Achievement and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy Student Center for Public Trust, which provides ethics education to college students. She's also a founding board member of the Eagle Executive Society, an organization that teaches networking skills to undergraduates. Her ultimate goal is to obtain a doctorate in accounting and teach an array of anti-fraud and forensics courses as a university professor. Rousseau is preparing to intern with one of the big four accounting firms.
	$2,500 scholarship: Chad Vorwaller, Brigham Young University During the first three years of his post-graduate career, Chad Vorwaller plans to work as an auditor to further his skills in financial statement auditing and assurance. He's studying to become a CFE and networks with FBI agents and other anti-fraud professionals to learn more about the field. Vorwaller's passion to continue to gain skills and knowledge in the field are evident in his everyday life such as interviewing professionals in the field and fraudsters plus reading anti-fraud resources. He received the Athletic Scholarman of the Year and the Economics Student of the Year awards. Vorwaller maintains a 3.67 GPA.
	$2,500 scholarship: Daniel Morse, Montana State University Daniel Morse strives to excel academically and is currently taking a fraud examination course to gain further knowledge in the field. He has been involved with the Business Professionals of America and a national competition spurred him to pursue an accounting degree. Morse earned a scholarship from the ACFE Big Sky chapter, which taught him more about the CFE credential. He's involved in both Beta Alpha Psi and the Montana Society for Certified Public Accountants at which he serves as co-president. He plans to finish the master's program in accounting at Montana State University and then pursue the CFE and CPA credentials. After graduation, he'll work in auditing and then use his experiences to apply for an FBI position. Morse maintains a 3.52 GPA.
	$2,500 scholarship: Madeline Hart, Lafayette College Madeline Hart's career goal is to work on the FBI's white-collar crime force so she can combine her strong analytical problem-solving skills, eye for detail and specific interest in fraud detection. She's majoring in economics with a concentration in finance and plans to pursue an MBA at the University of Pennsylvania. Hart initiated a student ACFE chapter at the Lafayette campus and served as treasurer. She has been accepted into Bloomberg's global data internship program at which she'll learn data analysis techniques. She serves as a resident advisor, a tutor and is an active member of the Catholic campus ministry at school. She maintains a 3.85 GPA.
	$2,500 scholarship: Jonathan Peck, California Polytechnic State University Jonathan Peck has taken a multi-faceted approach to passionately pursuing an anti-fraud career through research and relationship building. He has an upcoming internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers in its forensic accounting investigations practice. As an active member of his campus accounting club, Peck mentors peers and is building a network of former alumni to help bring forensic accounting career opportunities to current students on his campus. He's organized an upcoming alumni-led forensic case study to further foster these relationships. Peck will pursue a Master's in Forensic Accounting before embarking on a career in auditing. He plans to obtain his CFE, CPA, CFF and ABV credentials. His ultimate goal is to enter federal law enforcement with the FBI. Peck maintains a 3.39 GPA.

 The following each received a $1,000 scholarship.
 

	Adedibu Adesokan, Southern Illinois University Adedibu Adesokan, a native of Nigeria, is studying accounting and plans to pursue a career as a senior forensic accountant for the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC, a law enforcement agency in Nigeria, is responsible for investigating and litigating cases of financial fraud and corruption. He plans to pursue the CFE and CPA credentials. Adesokan has a 4.0 GPA.
	Akingbolahan Akinwumi, University of Tampa Akingbolahan Akinwumi, a native of Nigeria, is an MBA candidate. He plans to pursue a career as a consultant to business and governments in Africa in the near future and public administration long-term. Akinwumi plans to apply for the Master's in Public Administration program at The John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University. Akinwumi has a 4.0 GPA.
	Jessica Bartlett, Plymouth State University Jessica Bartlett, a graduate student majoring in accounting, plans to pursue a Master's in Accounting. She wants to earn the CFE and CPA credentials, become a forensic accountant and travel around the world to uphold the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Policy Act. Bartlett has a 3.89 GPA.
	Daniel Bediako, CUNY Lehman College Daniel Bediako, who's majoring in accounting, is a student member of the New York State Society of CPAs Litigation Services Committee. He plans to pursue the CFE and CPA credentials, work as an auditor until he qualifies to pursue his CFF credential and then become a forensic accountant. Bediako has a 3.50 GPA.
	Jennifer Bohne, Florida International University Jennifer Bohne, a native of Puerto Rico, is majoring in finance and minoring in accounting, She already has seven years of accounting experience. Bohne plans on earning the CFE credential, and becoming a specialist and leader in fraud detection. Bohne has a 3.67 GPA.
	Cory Campbell, Case Western University Cory Campbell is an adjunct instructor at Indiana State University where he teaches Management Information Systems. He's pursuing his doctorate and plans on becoming an accounting professor and engaging students through anti-fraud education. He holds the CFE and CPA credentials and plans on joining the ACFE Indiana Chapter. Campbell maintains a 3.64 GPA.
	Xueyu Chen, Purdue University Xueyu Chen, a native of China, plans on pursuing her doctorate in accounting and information analytics and will be joining the Financial Accounting Standards Board's postgraduate technical assistant program. Chen has begun an ACFE student chapter at Purdue to enhance students' awareness of business ethics and anti-fraud issues, and assist other students in pursuing anti-fraud careers. She maintains a 3.64 GPA.
	Jeremy Citron, Nova Southeastern University Detective Jeremy Citron investigates fraud-related crimes with the Davie (Florida) Police Economic Crimes Division. He's a member of the National White Collar Crime Center, the Fraternal Order of Police and he donates his time to The Malala Fund, which aims to empower girls through quality secondary education. His goal is to become involved with the Miami Electronic Crimes Task Force or on one of the FBI cyber task forces. Jeremy maintains a 4.0 GPA.
	Mark Correia, University of Albany Mark Correia, one of six students accepted into the University of Albany's School of Criminal Justice Honors Program, will conduct research on white-collar crime. He encourages undergraduate students, who are pursuing a career in business, through the Albany Mentorship Program. Correia plans on earning the CFE and CPA credentials. Correia maintains a 3.97 GPA.
	Lauren Curtiss, Kaplan University Lauren Curtiss, an internal auditor employed in the financial sector, is pursuing a Master's in Accounting with an emphasis in auditing. She hopes that earning the CFE and CIA credentials will lead to a position investigating tax evasion and fraud with the IRS' Criminal Investigation Division. Curtiss has a 4.0 GPA.
	Narbold Davaamyagmar, Columbia College Narbold Davaamyagmar, a native of Mongolia, studies fraud examination so he can work to support legal cooperation among private businesses and government officials. His goal is to earn the CFE credential. Because he has personally experienced corruption and fraud, he plans to return to his home country with the aim of working with the Mongolia Anti-Corruption Agency. He has a 3.40 GPA.
	Laura Fox, Old Dominion University Laura Fox is the president of the Managerial, Auditing and Accounting Club, which is the umbrella organization for the Old Dominion University student chapter of the ACFE. Her plans include pursuing the CPA and CFE credentials. She hopes, as a fraud expert, to help shareholders and stakeholders identify and prevent fraud within their organizations. She has a 3.98 GPA.
	Courtney Hortsman, Ohio Northern University Courtney Horstman, an undergraduate studying accounting, will enter the Ohio Northern University Master's of Professional Practice Program of Forensic Accounting and Auditing in August. After completing that program, she hopes to earn the CFE credential and secure an anti-fraud position in the corporate arena. Courtney has a 3.83 GPA.
	Emily Jones, North Carolina State University Emily Jones is studying accounting with minors in both psychology and Spanish. After graduation, she plans to enroll in the North Carolina State University Master's in Accounting program before embarking on a career in a CPA firm. She hopes to earn the CFE and CIA credentials and land a position as a fraud examiner for a law enforcement organization, such as the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Jones has a 3.57 GPA.
	Christy Kulack, American University Christy Kulak will graduate with a Master's in Accounting and a Certificate in Forensic Accounting. She plans to become a CFE within one year of graduation and then begin a career in auditing, which will ultimately lead to a position as a forensic accountant. Kulak has a 3.87 GPA.
	Dominic Leisner, European University Viadrina Dominic Leisner, a native of Germany, is studying business administration with an emphasis in accounting and auditing. He plans to have a career in fraud examination. Through membership in the German ACFE chapter, Leisner keeps current on fraud issues. He has a 3.92 GPA.
	Colin McVisk, Roosevelt University Colin McVisk, who has a bachelor's degree in organizational communications, is pursuing his Master's in Accounting. He plans to qualify as a CFE this semester and then move on to a career in the financial industry as an investigative accountant or fraud auditor. McVisk has a 3.83 GPA.
	Jon Paul Patterson, Purdue University John Paul Patterson is earning his MBA and plans to become a CFE after graduation. He would like to pursue a path in either federal law enforcement or auditing after graduation. He has a 3.95 GPA.
	Yelyzaveta Pavlyshyna, University of Houston Yelyzaveta Pavlyshyna would like to earn the CPA and CFE credentials and work in public accounting after graduation so she can acquire accounting and forensics knowledge before beginning her career as a forensic accountant. She has a 3.95 GPA.
	Jessica Preville-Roder, University of North Texas Jessica Preville-Roder is an accounting major who plans to obtain her Master's in Accounting before sitting for the CPA exam. She will then pursue the CFE credential. Preville-Roder plans to work in assurance to gain a further understanding of the industry before transferring to a fraud and forensics role. She maintains a 3.90 GPA.
	Bryant Scott, University of Oklahoma Bryant Scott, a member of the U.S Marine Corps, is a criminal justice major who plans to apply for the FBI Academy after graduation. He also would like to earn a law degree to fight fraud. Scott maintains a 4.0 GPA.
	Anshuman Singh, University of Tulsa (India) Anshuman Singh, a native of India, is pursuing an accountancy degree. He'll be working for a public accounting firm and plans to earn the CFE and CPA credentials after graduating. Singh maintains a 4.0 GPA.
	Peter Wilson, Virginia Polytechnic and State University Peter Wilson desires to work in national security or intelligence plus fraud examination. He has recently been accepted into the FBI Internship Program and plans on pursuing fulltime employment with the FBI with a focus on fraud detection and prevention. Wilson maintains a 3.5 GPA.

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