The Deloitte Foundation awarded a doctoral fellowship to Petrus H. Ferreira, an accounting PhD student at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School.
Ferreira was one of just 10 top doctoral candidates to receive a prestigious $25,000 grant from the Deloitte Foundation’s annual doctoral fellowship program.
“My research interest is in the area of financial reporting,” said Ferreira. “I am interested in the effects of standard setting and other issues surrounding standard setting, such as recognition versus disclosure.”
Given to students who plan to pursue academic careers upon graduation, the award will support his final year of coursework and the subsequent year to complete his dissertation.
“We are proud of the work Petrus Ferreira has done to earn this competitive grant and honored by the Deloitte Foundation’s recognition and support of our PhD Program,” said Wayne Landsman, KPMG Distinguished Professor of Accounting.
Several UNC Kenan-Flagler doctoral students have received the Deloitte honor and are now professors at top schools. Among them are PhD student Michele Mullaney, Jim Omartian (MBA ’13, PhD ’18) of the University of Michigan, John Gallemore (BSBA ’04, MBA ’08, PhD ’14) and Mark Maffett (PhD ’12) of the University of Chicago, Ed Owens (PhD ’10) of the University of Utah, Brian Rountree (PhD ’03) of Rice University and Steven Monahan (PhD ’99) of INSEAD.
“Growing the pipeline as well as strengthening the quantity and quality of accounting professors is critical to developing the next generation of future leaders,” said Tonie Leatherberry, Deloitte Foundation president. “The financial support from the foundation can help this year’s recipients complete their academic career journey and could have a significant impact on the thousands of students they will teach over time.”
Each year, approximately 100 universities are invited to apply for the fellowship. This year, 52 students applied – an increase of more than 70 percent from 2018 – who were nominated by the accounting faculty of their school. A selection committee composed of four eminent accounting educators chose this year’s recipients.
The Deloitte Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that supports education in the U.S. through a variety of initiatives that help develop the talent of the future and their influencers and promote excellence in teaching, research and curriculum innovation.