News from the Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy

ASAP Camp Seeds the Future

The Adkerson School of Accountancy’s 2026 Whitmire ASAP Camp drew 16 rising high school seniors to campus in July. ASAP – Accelerating Students into the Accounting Profession – acquaints bright young students with the possibilities of careers in the industry. At the same time, it introduces them to what Mississippi State in particular offers.

“It’s not just coming in and learning accounting all day every day,” shares camp coordinator Trina Pollan, the School’s Business Experience Coordinator, noting the aim is to engage participants with a varied, engaging activities. “We really do have fun.”

The camp drew nine from around Mississippi and the rest from nearby states – four from Tennessee, two from Louisiana and one from Alabama.

“Adventures in Accounting” hosted by Matthews, Cutrer and Lindsay kicked off the camp, and students joined throughout the week in leadership and team building activities. A team project included lessons in accounting basics and research, a professional-style presentation and an etiquette dinner with an awards ceremony. A field trip to PACCAR offered insight into a “real life” environment. The camp also featured several opportunities for networking with accounting faculty and practitioners, and participants received useful information from university staff about admissions, scholarships and the transition to college life.

Three-year ASAP counselor Maddie Rushing, an Olive Branch graduate student, always knew she would attend MSU, but it wasn’t until she attended ASAP as a high school student that she found her career calling.

A visit to PACCAR took the group into a professional environment.
Participants learned about the College of Business’ Strategic Finances Lab and many other assets.
A campus tour and stay in Oak Hall gave the high school students a taste of college life.
“I learned how to network, met with accounting professors, learned about career prospects and took a mini lecture on the basics of accounting,” she recalls. “I remember how easy it was for me to understand the basic accounting equation. This was when I knew that I wanted to major in accounting.”

She continues, “As a camp counselor, I love sharing my favorite MSU experiences with the campers and answering their questions about college. I’m able to give them insight on what it means to be an accounting student at MSU and what State has to offer. Some have stayed in touch and reached out once they enrolled here.”

Fellow counselor and Biloxi senior Kelsie Brown likewise started as a camper.

“The experiences I gained from ASAP Camp played a big role in my decision process to attend MSU,” she shares. “Being able to speak with future professors and staff made the transition from high school to college truly seamless and effortless. As a camper, I was able to get a glimpse of what college life looked like not only on the MSU campus but also as a prospective accounting student. As a counselor, I observed avenues of accounting that I was not aware of previously and met so many new faces each year!

“Overall, the opportunities I’ve been provided thanks to the Adkerson School of Accountancy have made a huge difference in my time here and will continue to have long-lasting effects as I enter my career.”

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