The G. Brint Ryan College of Business at the University of North Texas has renamed its distinguished Accounting Scholars Program in honor of a generous endowment from Don and Donna Millican. The program, now known as the Don and Donna Millican Accounting Scholars Program (DDMASP), received a significant endowment fund of over $2 million, marking a transformative period for the program, its students, and the Department of Accounting.
“Don and Donna Millican’s transformative gift exemplifies their belief in the power of education to shape lives and drive positive change,” stated Marilyn Wiley, dean of the Ryan College of Business. “This endowment ensures generations of students will benefit from opportunities for learning and professional growth in the field of accounting.”
The DDMASP, originally created to support exceptional freshmen and transfer students pursuing degrees in accounting, will continue to focus on academic excellence, professional development, and leadership in the accounting field. The program pairs each incoming student with both a student mentor and a professional mentor in the accounting industry.
Madhuri Bandla, professor of accounting and founding faculty advisor of the DDMASP, expressed gratitude for the Millicans’ donation. “I am beyond grateful to the Millicans for their generous donation that will bring to life many more success stories for our students in the future.”
Reece Dominigue, a UNT student pursuing a master’s degree in taxation and data analytics, highlighted the mentorship benefits of the program. “During my first semester in the DDMASP, I got paired with an upperclassman who fielded my personal questions. The next year, I was able to mentor several underclassmen myself. About halfway through my time in the program, I was connected to a professional CPA mentor who I was able to talk to about the recruiting process, my worries, and any lingering questions I had about the field itself.”
Established in 2017 by Ananth Seetharaman, chair of the Department of Accounting, the DDMASP has grown to over 100 scholars, both current students and alumni. The first group of alumni graduated in 2021, and professor Peggy Jimenez joined as co-faculty advisor in 2022.
Brady Brockett, a DDMASP alumnus who graduated in Spring 2021 with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting, shared his positive experience. “The DDMASP provides a great introduction to networking early on in your college career. The professors, mentors, professionals, and peers I connected with helped guide me through the program and the process of landing an internship.”
Through mentorship and professional development events, the DDMASP aims to equip students with the skills and insights necessary for a successful career in accounting.
“We are deeply thankful to Don and Donna Millican for their gift and faith in our student potential,” said Seetharaman. “Their generous donation will have the ripple effect of fulfilling the dreams and career aspirations of our students.”