Becker Professional Education, a subsidiary of DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV),
announced that nine out of 10 of the most recent Elijah Watt Sells Award
winners, the highest scoring students for the multi-part Uniform CPA
(Certified Public Accountant) Examination, prepared for the exam with
Becker’s CPA Exam Review, the global leader in CPA Exam preparation.
The Elijah Watt Sells Award, first awarded by the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) in 1923 to honor CPA pioneer Elijah
Watt Sells, is presented to the 10 CPA candidates, who, on their first
attempt, achieve the highest cumulative scores for all four sections of
Uniform CPA Examination within a calendar year. The AICPA has been
awarding Watt Sells Awards to the top 10 CPA candidates nationally for
the past four years. During those four years, 33 of the 40 winners
prepared with Becker. More than 85,000 candidates sat for the exam in
2008.
“We would like to congratulate all of the award recipients for
demonstrating such mastery of the subjects covered by the exam,” said
Tom Vucinic, president of Becker Professional Education. “Passing the
CPA Examination requires a high level of diligence and we are extremely
proud of the competence and commitment these individuals have shown. We
are especially honored that so many of the winners throughout the years
have prepared for the exam using Becker’s CPA Exam Review.”
Becker Professional Education offers a completely integrated CPA Exam
Review program that maximizes study and replicates the exam in every
way, providing students with the greatest chance of passing the CPA
Exam. In fact, students who prepare with Becker pass at double the rate
of non-Becker candidates, based on averages of AICPA-published pass
rates.
The nine Becker students who were honored with the prestigious 2008
Elijah Watt Sells Award include:
Jennifer Renee Clifton, who graduated from the University of
Virginia with a BS in commerce and a Master’s in Accounting and is
currently employed by KPMG LLP in Washington, DC.
Brad Hocking, who graduated from the University of South Carolina
with a BS in business administration and is currently working for
Deloitte & Touche LLP in Charlotte, N.C.
Christopher Michael Leon, who graduated from the University of
Missouri – St.
