Alumni Scott and Kay Dawson Make Major Gift to Master of Accountancy with Data Analytics
JONESBORO – Scott and Kay Keasler Dawson of Germantown, Tenn., have made a gift of $25,000 to the Master of Accountancy with Data Analytics (MAcc) degree program at Arkansas State University.
With the current gift, the Dawsons have contributed more than $100,000 to the Scott and Kay Dawson Scholarship Account for MAcc students. The scholarships offer support to MAcc students who enroll in the graduate-level CPA examination review 1 and 2 classes. Without financial assistance, many students would not be able to afford the $2,600 special fee for the course materials.
“We are blessed that we are able to provide this great tool to the motivated students and faculty at Arkansas State University,” stated Scott Dawson, who was inducted in 2016 as a Distinguished Alumnus of the university. “Passing the CPA exam will open many doors in the business world.”
A-State’s MAcc students have performed significantly above the national average on the CPA exam. According to recent statistics, MAcc students passed more than 80% of sections on their first attempt. The national average among all first-time takers is 55%.
“We are grateful to Scott and Kay Dawson for their continued support of our MAcc students and the accounting program,” noted Dr. James Doering, chair of the Department of Accounting and the HCJ CPAs & Advisors/Louis and Ann Schaaf Professor of Accounting. “Their contributions help establish A-State as the destination school for students in the State of Arkansas and Mid-South who want to pursue a degree in accounting. Becoming a CPA will give our students a competitive advantage and provide a foundation for a prosperous and fulfilling career.”
The couple, both A-State accounting alumni from the class of 1978, established the scholarships to encourage accounting students to become certified public accountants (CPA), the most globally recognized accounting license. The Dawsons both credit the background as a CPA as key to their successful careers.
The Dawsons have a history of generous support to Arkansas State. They provided funding to build the Dawson Capital Markets Lab in the Neil Griffin College of Business, where students learn the trading floor environment with the latest finance industry technology.
They also have made numerous gifts to the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics through the Red Wolves Foundation, including establishment of the Dawson Den, where student athletes have access to resources that help them achieve their academic goals. Scott Dawson currently serves on the Red Wolves Foundation board and is a past president.
Kay and Scott Dawson in Voices magazine, summer 2016
