This is the first year two Belmont students were awarded the PCAOB scholarship.
Each year, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board awards scholarships to students pursuing an education in accounting and auditing. This year, two students received the PCAOB scholarship: accounting and finance double major Gunnar Jauch and graduate accounting student Elena Steffa. The $15,000 award encourages students to take their education to new heights.
Gunnar Jauch: Bridging Accounting and Law
Gunnar Jauch will graduate in May 2025 and plans to attend the Belmont College of Law. “I’m taking what I’ve learned in accounting and applying that to the legal world and staying within business law,” said Jauch. “I think that’s something my undergrad degree here has really prepared me for.”
As a transfer student, Jauch received this award alongside nearly 150 other students in PCAOB’s effort to increase the financial support transfer students receive.
Jauch is a member of Belmont’s chapter of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity where he served as its treasurer last year. Jauch’s experience managing finances for Phi Kappa Tau perfectly complements his academic pursuits, reinforcing the real-world skills he’s developed at Belmont.
The PCAOB scholarship came at the just the right time, allowing Jauch to complete his final years of college without added financial stress. “Being able to afford my final two years of college was something that I was concerned about. I'll never forget calling my mom and being so excited that I was going to be able to afford that,” explained Jauch. "It took a lot of stress off of me in terms of being able to just focus on classes and internships that I've been working while in school, I feel like it helped me in more ways than just financially.”
Elena Steffa: Leadership and CPA Aspirations
Elena Steffa graduated with a B.B.A. in accounting from Belmont in May 2024, and is currently pursuing her Master of Accountancy.
This award allows Steffa to pursue the MAcc at Belmont and sit for the Certified Public Accounting exam. “I received an email about the award and honestly cried because I was so honored and grateful,” said Steffa. “My mother is an accountant, but she always said she wished she had earned her CPA and that really motivated me to pursue it.”
Recognized as a top 50 accounting program in the U.S., Belmont’s M.ACC. is intentionally designed to prepare students to sit for the CPA exam and pursue careers in public or private accounting.
Steffa previously served as president for the international honors society for finance, accounting and information system students, Beta Alpha Psi.
"My time spent leading Beta Alpha Psi has been one of my biggest honors. I never saw myself as a leader in this way, but Dr. Marilyn Young saw the potential in me, and I really appreciate her for that,” reflected Steffa. "It pushed me to grow in my career and know how to be a leader in the accounting profession and that is something I will always take with me.”
Steffa enjoys volunteering at Shelby Park in Nashville and is passionate about conservation and the environment. She also participated in Enactus, a global social entrepreneurship competition for students.
Investing in the Future of Accounting
This is the first year two Belmont students received PCAOB scholarships. More than $10 million total in scholarship funds were awarded to students across the nation, each chosen by a faculty selection committee at their respective institutions. With these scholarships, both Jauch and Steffa can focus on preparing for their futures without added financial burden, leading to better academic and professional outcomes.
View the full list of students who received the award.
Learn more about Belmont's Accounting programs!