ACAP And Cox School Award First Scholarship To Incoming MSA Student

Incoming Master of Science in Accounting student Ashlee Jones is the first recipient of the newly announced Nora O’Garro/Odell Brown Scholarship for alumni of the SMU Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP). SMU Cox Master of Science in Accounting Director Greg Sommers and Cox Diversity Initiatives Director Steve Denson, along with the executive board members of ACAP, announced the creation of the Nora O’Garro/Odell Brown Scholarship Program last week, allowing for any alumnus of SMU ACAP to receive a $10,000 scholarship upon their admission to the Cox Master of Science in Accounting Program.

Jones, the first scholarship recipient, was not only a high school participant in the ACAP program, but later, while attending Oklahoma State University’s Spear School of Business, went on to serve as an ACAP counselor and volunteered with ACAP each summer. Jones completed her BBA in Accounting at Oklahoma State in 2019.

“My first year as an Dallas ACAP participant, I fell in love with every aspect of business, especially accounting. I learned that accounting is the language of business, and there will always be a need for accountants in corporate America. It was at ACAP that I learned about public accounting and became determined to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA),” said Jones. “ACAP means the world to me, and to be honored as the first recipient of the Nora O’Garro and Odell Brown ACAP Scholarship makes my experience with the program so much more special. When I received the news about the scholarship, I immediately became overwhelmed with gratitude. I felt content knowing that my hard work has been recognized by so many people around me.”

“Ashlee has been a great ACAP alumna, continuing to advocate for the program throughout her undergraduate studies,” said SMU Cox Director of Diversity Initiatives Steve Denson. “I know she’ll continue to do so while she works toward her MS in Accounting degree at the Cox School and that she’ll always serve as a great example of the educational quality of the ACAP program and the Cox School.”

Jones will begin her MSA classes at the Cox School in August. SMU Cox has long partnered with the Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP), a national non-profit committed to increasing the understanding of accounting and business career opportunities among high school students from underrepresented ethnic groups.