About Accounting

Students Discussing

If business were a country, then accounting would be its language. Accounting is the way in which businesses communicate, keep score, and share the most valuable commodity of all - information. For this reason, accountancy has become one of the most popular professional majors at colleges and universities.

The accounting major does not simply teach one to balance books; it trains students to be economic problem-solvers and analysts, professionals who are able to identify, measure, and make judgments about all types of economic information. These accounting skills lead to rewarding positions in financial and tax planning, business consulting, bookkeeping, auditing, and many other fields in the global marketplace. In addition, with a few additional courses, the Lakeland accounting major qualifies its students to sit for the CPA and CMA examinations.

Students who major in Accounting will be able to:

  • understand and use the central principles, theories, and rules of accounting as both a field of study and a practical skill;
  • appreciate and abide by the ethical and legal rules that govern business relations and specifically govern the accounting profession;
  • comprehend the ways in which economic institutions and behavior at various levels - personal, business, and social - influence the practice of accountancy;
  • communicate business and economic information to stakeholders in a clear and professional manner; and
  • sit for and pass their chosen professional certifying examinations (CPA, CMA, etc.).

The Lakeland College accounting major is distinctive in that it offers Cognate Emphasis tracts in Tax, Forensics, and Controllership which enables its graduates to find immediate employment in these fields upon graduation.

Useful Links

For some useful sources of information on careers for Accounting graduates see:

www.nacpa.com - National Association of CPAs site
www.startheregoplaces.com - AICPA site for careers as a CPA
www.monster.com - General job site, look under 'Accountants'
www.taxsites.com - A professional site, including job info.
www.nasba.org - CPA exam information
www.aicpa.org - American Institute of CPAs

Accounting Faculty

To learn more about Lakeland's Accounting faculty, follow the link associated with their name.

Joseph Botana

Joseph Botana

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Richard Gaumer

Richard Gaumer

Mr. Richard Gaumer, Associate Professor of Accounting, has been teaching for the college since 1999. His research interests include Lean Accounting and methods for improving accounting education...
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James Kudek

James Kudek

Mr. James Kudek, Associate Professor of Business Administration, has been a member of the faculty since 1982. He teaches courses in business administration and accounting and is especially...
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Abe Qastin

Abe Qastin

Mr. Abdul Qastin, Bemis Professor of Accounting, joined the faculty in 1985. Qastin participates regularly in the International MBAA conference. In his spare time, he volunteers at his church and...
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J. Garland Schilcutt

J. Garland Schilcutt

Dr. J. Garland Schilcutt, Professor of Business Administration, holds the distinction of Lakeland's longest-serving faculty member, with a tenure of over fifty years. Schilcutt, or "Prof" as he...
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Best In The Nation

2005 Reports Commentary regarding student performance on the CPA revealed the following:

  1. Lakeland is #1 in the nation in pass rates on three of four parts of the exam.
  2. Lakeland is #2 in the nation for first-time candidates passing exactly three parts of the exam.
  3. Lakeland is #4 in the nation for all candidates at a college or university passing at least three parts of the exam (first time testers and repeat testers)
  4. Lakeland is #6 in the nation for first-time candidates passing at least three parts of the exam.
  5. Lakeland is #9 in the nation for first-time candidates passing at least one part of the exam.

Lakeland's program is among the best in the nation.