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Accounting professor, student receive statewide honors

Lipscomb student achieves highest score on CPA exam in the state.

From staff reports | 

Swang Business Center on Lipscomb's Campus

Both a Lipscomb accounting professor and an accounting student received state honors this summer from the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA).

Kelsey Swerdfeger receiving the John Glenn Award

In August, Kelsey Swerdfeger (A ’22) was presented the TSCPA John Glenn Award which honors the successful candidate who achieved the highest score in Tennessee on the Uniform CPA Exam and successfully passed all four parts of the exam on the first attempt.

Swerdfeger passed the Uniform CPA Exam in 2022. She currently works as an audit associate for Blankenship CPA Group and is based out of its Brentwood office.

Swerdfeger, who studied in the Master of Accountancy program, graduated summa cum laude from Concordia University Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and a minor in accounting in 2015. She has also earned a Certificate of Achievement in accounting from Saddleback College in 2021.

Headshot of Dr. Perry Moore

Perry Moore (’81), Director of the Master of Accountancy program, director of assessment and the Charles E. Frasier Professor of Accountancy, was presented with the TSCPA’s 2023 TSCPApex Special Recognition Award.

Moore has been recognized for his extensive work on Tennessee state-specific ethics, which has made a significant impact on CPAs and the accounting profession in the state. Moore revised the state-specific ethics course the past two years and has traveled extensively across the state making numerous ethics presentations. He has also served TSCPA for many years in a variety of volunteer roles and has contributed his talents and expertise to the Tennessee CPA Journal. 

The TSCPApex Awards Program recognizes the many ways that individuals contribute significant time, energy and intellect to developing the accounting profession and fostering its success. Special recognition awards are given to individuals who have contributed to the success of a TSCPA project or initiative.

Moore has worked at Lipscomb University for 42 years. Over his career, he has contributed to the university in a multitude of ways, from teaching courses to mentoring to advising. Outside the university, he has taught countless CPE courses, authored multiple papers and articles, served on accounting-related committees and task forces and given many professional lectures and other presentations to a variety of organizations.

In addition to the TSCPApex Award, Moore’s work has been recognized by several other organizations. Notably, in 2022, he received the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Mark Chain/FSA Innovation in Graduate Teaching Award as well as Lipscomb University’s Faculty Excellence Award for Business. 

Founded in 1904, the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants is the professional association of CPAs in Tennessee, with more than 10,000 members statewide. Its mission is to drive the success of its members and the communities they serve through connections, professional development and advocacy.