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Alyssa Mancini (MSA ’20) was selected for a position with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) as a Postgraduate Technical Assistant.
Both the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board sponsor a postgraduate technical assistant program twice a year for individuals who are planning a career with an emphasis in accounting. Each program is a one-year term, during which the individual becomes highly involved with the accounting standards-setting process and comes to have an in-depth understanding of the roles played by preparers, auditors, and users of financial information.
“This is a highly prestigious position and available to only a handful of students across the country each year,” said Associate Dean for Accountancy Mark Evans. “As a testament to the quality of our program, Wake Forest has had several students take such a position over the last few years.
Postgraduate Technical Assistants are assigned to major agenda projects or to short-term practice and implementation issues, depending on the need for staff assistance. Postgraduate Technical Assistants are involved in all phases of their assigned projects, including analyzing written submissions received on documents issued for public comment, reviewing and analyzing published research, preparing memorandums on technical issues for Board members’ information, drafting due process documents, and evaluating accounting proposals of other organizations. Additionally, Postgraduate Technical Assistants attend and occasionally participate in public Board, task force, and other meetings pertinent to their projects.
Candidates for the program must be nominated by a member of their university accounting department and must have an outstanding academic record, strong oral and written communications skills, and have completed course work that provides a thorough knowledge of accounting theory and practice.