Published April 27, 2026

CAPTION: ULM President Dr. Carrie Castille and Provost Dr. Michelle McEacharn join College of Business and Social Sciences Dean Dr. Arturo Rodriguez and Interim Director of the William D. Hoover School of Accounting, Financial, and Information Services Dr. Zach Moore to recognize LCPA scholarship recipients Rachel Turnbow, Riley Timmer, and Kelly Lohman. Lohman (center) was awarded the Kit Smith Memorial Scholarship, the state’s highest undergraduate accounting honor. 

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MONROE, La. — Three University of Louisiana Monroe accounting students have been awarded highly competitive scholarships from the Louisiana Society of Certified Public Accountants (LCPA), earning nearly $9,000 in total funding and statewide recognition for academic excellence. 

The honors were headlined by Kelly Lohman, who received the Kit Smith Memorial Scholarship, the LCPA’s most prestigious undergraduate award. Joining her as statewide recipients were ULM students Rachel Turnbow and Riley Timmer. The trio represented a significant portion of the only 19 undergraduate scholarships awarded across Louisiana this year. 

ULM President Dr. Carrie L. Castille congratulated the students, highlighting ULM’s standout performance in these highly competitive awards. Pointing to the fact that a ULM student claimed the top statewide honor, President Castille noted that the achievement reflects both the immense talent of the student body and the high quality of the university's academic programming. 

ULM Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Michelle McEacharn, who also serves as the Banowsky Chair of Accounting, praised the strength of ULM’s Accounting program. Dr. McEacharn cited the program’s rigorous curriculum, dedicated faculty mentorship, and consistent focus on preparing students for professional certification and leadership within the field. 

The awards were presented by Hampton Roane, CPA, LCPA board member and past president of the organization’s North Louisiana Chapter, during a recognition event honoring student achievement. Roane remarked, “The scholarship awards prove the quality of the students and faculty at ULM influencing future CPAs.” 

“I could not be more excited and honored to be a scholarship recipient this year,” said Kelly Lohman. “It’s so reassuring to know that I’m on the right path and that not only my professors, but my university and the LCPA believe in me and my future.” 

The ULM Accounting program, housed within the College of Business and Social Sciences, emphasizes small class sizes, experiential learning, and close partnerships with the accounting profession to prepare graduates for careers in public accounting, industry, and government. 

“These results affirm what we have long known,” said Katie Wilder, CPA, ULM Instructor of Accounting. “At ULM, the best is on the Bayou, and that excellence is being recognized at the state level.” 

Learn more about the ULM Accounting program at ulm.edu/cbss/accounting