The Texas Society of CPAs has named Dr. Marina Ruseva, assistant professor of accounting at Lamar University, and Michelle Avila, associate professor of accounting at Our Lady of the Lake University, as the recipients of the 2020 Outstanding Accounting Educator Award. The winners were announced during TXCPA’s virtual Midyear Board and Members Meeting, held on Jan. 27, 2021.
The award highlights Texas educators who have "demonstrated excellence in teaching and who have distinguished themselves through active service to the accounting profession." Criteria for award recipients include factors such as teaching innovation, pursuit of learning opportunities for students, involvement in student and professional accounting organizations, and research publications.
Dr. Ruseva joined Lamar University in 2019, previously serving as a research assistant and instructor at the University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business. A research paper she authored, “Executive Equity Compensation and Corporate Tax Behavior: Exploring the Role of Cash ETR Persistence,” was awarded the 2020 Distinguished Paper award at the Federation of Business Disciplines annual conference.
Michelle Avlia joined OLLU in 2011, previously working as an accounting instructor at DeVry University from 2011-2012, and as a lead instructor at Becker Professional Education from 2004-2011. In 2020, Avila launched the OLLU Saints Accounting Club to promote awareness of the accounting profession and CPA license.
