In February, it was announced that Meghann Cefaratti was chosen as the director of certification and licensure for the Department of Accountancy.
In this capacity, Cefaratti will be focused on helping accountancy students determine which certification in accounting may align with their career goals.
“I will be advising our students about the Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Management Accountant, and Certified Fraud Examiner certifications. Each exam has a unique format and different education requirements,” she said. “I will help our students navigate the process to become a candidate for the certification exam on which they are focused. I will keep our faculty apprised of changes to the exams so we can consider the curricular impacts of new skillsets needed in the accounting profession and new areas of expertise tested by the examiners. Our accounting faculty are focused on preparing our students for an ever-evolving profession.”
Having joined the NIU faculty in 2009, Cefaratti has enjoyed her day-to-day work with her students and her fellow faculty members.
“I love working with our students and hearing about what their hopes and goals are for their careers,” she said. “As faculty, we get to hear from students who are dreaming big and narrowing in on the impact that they hope to have in their careers. We have amazing students at NIU who are willing to put in the time and effort to go after big goals. As a faculty member, I get to sit across from students and hear about inspiring paths they have walked to get to their education and their passion for making a difference in the profession using their education as a foundation. Every day, I get to dream about possibilities!”
Cefaratti enjoys talking with students about all the different career paths that are available in accounting. There are so many things that one can do with a degree in accounting, and there are a lot of certifications that accounting professionals may pursue that align with different areas of expertise.
“My professional experience was with a Big Four accounting firm in tax, and then with the Air Force Audit Agency in audit, so I got to see a bit of the tax world and the audit world in a unique setting with the Air Force,” she said. “I have experience auditing in some very untraditional settings, and I think that experience will help me guide students as they consider which professional certification they may want to pursue.”
Cefaratti also has experience presenting to accounting professionals, state CPA society committees, and faculty at conferences about certifications and changes being made to the different exams. Dean and Brenda DuCray Professor of Accountancy Linda Matuszewski and Cefaratti co-authored an article about the evolutions happening to several of the accounting certification examinations.
“Our NIU faculty have always been committed to keeping connected with the profession and having a directorship in this area formalizes a tradition that the Department of Accountancy has valued,” Cefaratti said.
Her new directorship will be in addition to her role as the Deloitte Foundation Professor of Accountancy.
“My new position as the Director of Certification and Licensure aligns well with what our kind supporters from Deloitte hope for our students – that our students may pursue their career goals and have an impact on the accounting profession,” she said. “NIU focuses on preparing students to meet the challenges in the profession and succeed. Deloitte and NIU both want our Huskies to succeed in meeting the challenge of passing a certification exam, so my directorship and professorship roles complement each other in a very rewarding way.”
Department of Accountancy Chair Brad Cripe has high hopes for Cefaratti in her new position.
“Dr. Cefaratti will lead the department’s efforts to enhance student knowledge and preparation for certification and licensure as a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Managerial Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner,” he said. “This position will enhance the department’s enduring commitment to the professional development of our students and provide information about all major professional certification and licensure options.”
Meghann will officially begin her role this summer, and she is excited for the new challenge ahead.
“My colleagues in the Department of Accountancy lead with their hearts, and we all work together to best prepare our students for the accounting profession,” she said. “We have the shared goal of preparing our students for success in accounting and, if they choose, in leadership. I get to walk into an environment everyday with students who are eager to learn and colleagues who take the time to connect with the individuals around them.
“NIU and the Department of Accountancy have a community that is focused on helping students fulfill their professional dreams, and I get to be a little piece of that. I love it!”
