UA’s McKinney Receives Outstanding Educator Award

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Lisa McKinney, accounting lecturer at The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce, was recognized with the Outstanding Accounting Educator Award from the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants.

The award acknowledges excellence in the classroom and contributions to the accounting profession. Dr. Greg Carnes,  chair of the ASCPA Education Committee, presented the award to McKinney at a recent ASCPA annual meeting in Birmingham.

McKinney received a record 14 letters of support from current and former students. Dennice Hillard, a CPA and one of McKinney’s former students, was a surprise guest at the awards luncheon.

“When I got to that first accounting class and didn’t see anyone who looked like me [Hillard is African-American] I was worried about whether this was the right major.  But there was music playing, my kind of music, and I knew that Ms. McKinney ‘got’ me and that it was going to be all right.”

Hillard went on to receive both undergraduate and master of tax degrees at Culverhouse, inspired by McKinney’s enthusiasm for the profession and her willingness to mentor students. The two of them collaborated to create a National Association of Black Accountants, or NABA, chapter at the Culverhouse College of Commerce in 2007.

McKinney remains the NABA adviser and holds an annual residency program for minority high school students under the NABA banner – the Accounting Career Awareness Program. She is also sponsor for the Capstone Academy, another summer residency; this one for academically gifted high-school juniors and seniors.

The letters of support stated it was McKinney’s energy, passion for accounting, ability to clearly explain complex concepts and commitment to her students that helped them succeed. They have returned the favor by consistently giving her the highest marks on faculty evaluations.