The Accounting Center for Excellence (ACE) at Belmont University supports students, faculty, alumni and industry partners to strengthen the accounting talent pipeline and connect the classroom to the profession. ACE enhances professional readiness, expands employer engagement, supports CPA pathways and the MAcc experience and champions faculty‑student collaboration that leads to meaningful careers and community impact.
Overview
Who we serve
- Undergraduate accounting majors exploring public, corporate, nonprofit and advisory paths
- MAcc students aligning coursework, CPA licensure and early career goals
- Faculty advancing profession‑aligned teaching, advising and mentoring
- Employers and professional organizations seeking career‑ready talent
- Alumni and friends who mentor, recruit, speak and sponsor engagement
How we support
- Professional readiness and BBA/MAcc/CPA guidance
- Career exposure, networking and employer connections
- Student leadership (e.g., Beta Alpha Psi) and service pathways
- Faculty collaboration, advising and profession‑aligned curriculum
- Community and industry partnerships across Nashville and beyond
What sets us apart
- Belmont’s accounting programs are nationally recognized (Top 50 in 2023) and ACE was launched to amplify outcomes and strengthen the talent pipeline amid a national shortage of accountants and auditors.
- ACE works across five focus areas during its three‑year launch: student outreach and development; connections with professionals; curriculum refinement; external partnerships; partnerships within Belmont.
Key Areas of Support
ACE supports students understanding Tennessee CPA requirements, timelines, exam planning, experience and ethics components and how to sequence coursework effectively.
ACE helps students connect the curriculum to CPA discipline options and real‑world roles, clarifying how Belmont’s MAcc aligns with modern CPA exam structure and professional expectations.
ACE supports Beta Alpha Psi (Lambda Nu) engagement, professional speakers, service initiatives and leadership development that signal excellence to employers.
ACE supports recruiting touchpoints like Meet the Firms, Accounting Showcase Breakfast, firm/industry treks, employer talks, mentoring and networking with Nashville’s accounting community.
ACE supports faculty‑student advising, research translation, profession‑aligned teaching and the integration of emerging topics (technology, analytics, regulation) into learning.
ACE guides students to internships—often paid—that build skills and frequently lead to full‑time offers, while helping students stay on track for graduation. For students interested in specializing in Tax, Belmont conducts an annual spring Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs run by undergrad and graduate students.
ACE curates student‑friendly information on CPA, CMA, CIA and other credentials; career trajectories; ethics; and how technology/AI is reshaping higher‑value accounting work.
Faculty & Leadership
Leadership
Jan Williams
Email: jan.williams@belmont.edu
Marilyn Young
Email: marilyn.young@belmont.edu
Office Location: BMRC 335
Affiliated Faculty
Beverley Alleyne
Email: beverley.alleyne@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Hall 355
Brad Childs
Email: brad.childs@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Hall 326
Mike Mauldin
Email: john.mauldin@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Rogers Center 343
Dan Privott
Email: dan.privott@belmont.edu
Office Location: Jack C. Massey Center 443
Lee Warren
Email: lee.warren@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Hall 336
Tommy Wooten
Email: tommy.wooten@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Rogers Center 334
Mark Zhang
Email: mark.zhang@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Hall 350B
History
Launch: ACE was announced at a College banquet on April 23, 2024, to support Belmont’s top‑ranked accounting programs and reinforce connections between the classroom and the profession.Why now: National trends show a significant talent gap (a decline in practicing accountants/auditors and fewer accounting bachelor’s degrees). ACE was created to help address this challenge by attracting, preparing and connecting more students to the profession.
Vision: Become a leading center for attracting and developing diverse accounting talent who contribute meaningfully to the profession and the public interest.
Launch‑year highlights
- Special guests included leadership from the Tennessee Board of Accountancy and the Tennessee Society of CPAs.
- Industry partners attending the launch included firms and organizations across public accounting, internal audit and healthcare finance.
- The inaugural ACE Distinguished Service Awards honored Beta Alpha Psi officers and students serving in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program within Belmont’s Family Wellbeing Program.
Partners & Professional Community
EY · UHY · BDO · Blankenship CPA Group · FORVIS · Mullins Clemmons & Mayes · PwC · Frazier & Deeter · Institute of Internal Auditors · HCA Healthcare
Dedicated FAQ
Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
Full‑time: 10-12 months. Part‑time: typically 18–24 months. Belmont undergrad accounting students who are admitted early to the MAcc may dual enroll in 6 credit hours of graduate MAcc courses their last semester to and have the classes count toward their undergraduate and graduate degrees. This reduces their MAcc credit hours to 24 which can be completed in two semesters.
No. Applicants from accounting, business, or non‑business backgrounds are considered; prerequisites may apply.
The MAcc aligns with the exam’s core and discipline structure, helping many students complete portions of the exam while enrolled.
You may select a concentration aligned with a CPA discipline—or choose a general concentration for breadth.
No. Some courses are online, but the degree requires in‑person coursework.
Internships
No, but most students complete one or more paid internships; many receive full‑time offers. Internships can count for course credit toward the BBA or MAcc degrees. Students completing internships the summer between undergrad and grad are encouraged to apply for Summer term to earn credit for their work.
No. Internships can be completed for credit while staying on track.
Meet the Firms, ACE‑supported employer connections, faculty advising and alumni networks.
Many complete multiple internships across firms and industry before graduation.
Summer Accounting Institute (SAI)
An accelerated summer pathway for non‑accounting majors/career changers to gain the foundation needed to enter the MAcc.
Students new to accounting, career changers and professionals seeking accounting expertise.
Full summer term, Monday/Wednesday evenings and Saturdays.
Yes. SAI builds the foundation for the MAcc, which then aligns with CPA preparation.
Contact Us
Accounting Center for Excellence
1900 Belmont Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37212
Email: jan.williams@belmont.edu
Phone: (615) 460-5377
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