This November, the Indiana CPA Society will honor Dani Walsh, BS’23, an alumna of the Undergraduate Program at the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis, for earning a top 10 highest cumulative scores in the state on the CPA Exam.
“Earning a top 10 score really validated all the work I put into the CPA exam. I’m overjoyed because I studied very hard for this,” Dani said.
An accounting major at Kelley, Dani says her undergraduate studies helped prepare her for success on the four-part exam. At Kelley, she learned to be an independent student who is self-motivated to find answers.
“When you study for the CPA exam, there’s nobody to hold you accountable or track your progress. As I advanced farther in classes at Kelley, there was the expectation that you’ll get the work done, especially with online learning throughout the pandemic. That set me up to hold myself accountable through the CPA exam,” Dani said.
Part of this self-reliance is reaching out for help when she needs it. Dani stayed in touch with Diane Sturek, Kelley teaching professor in accounting, and worked closely with other accounting professors as she studied for the exam.
“Since I was studying so soon after my degree, I used my Kelley professors as a resource. I was always talking to Diane about my approach to studying,” she said. “My tax professor, James Motter, was a huge resource for technical topics. These are a couple example of all the Kelley professors who had an open door for me to ask advice for the CPA exam after graduation. They offered me a professional network to use when I struggled with technical questions.”
Diane wasn’t surprised to learn about Dani’s top score. Having known her for several years, Diane says Dani was always a driven student.
“Dani is extremely intelligent and perceptive, but the reason Dani is so successful is because she is diligent and looks to the future,” Diane said. “She knows that what she does today prepares her for the future, and she gives it her all.”
Dani graduated from the Kelley School in 2023 and worked the last year in assurance at EY in Connecticut. She recently earned a new position as an audit associate at DOZ Affordable Housing Accountants & Consultants.
Dani wasn’t always on the path to accounting. She initially transferred to IU Indianapolis to study dental hygiene. She wanted to have better job security after graduation and had a few friends at Kelley. Diane’s introductory accounting class was the first time Dani considered pursuing this career.
“I ended up in Diane’s A-100 class, and I had no idea what debits or credits were. After a couple of weeks, I really liked the theory of class and the way Diane teaches,” Dani said. “Diane loves her profession and us students, and that sparked a love of accounting in me. I switched my major and really enjoyed my classes.”
After graduation, Dani buckled down for the exams. She started taking the CPA exam in January 2024, worried to not pass it on the first try. She studied hard and ultimately moved through each part of the test with great results. As she began her accounting career, she said the Kelley degree continued to help her succeed.
“There’s a fair amount of independent problem-solving in my work. If you come across a technical topic, the expectation is you should be able to research a solution on your own. I gained the ability to do good research at Kelley, which has really served me well over the last year,” Dani said. “Also, group work. Some people love it, some hate it, but if you’re going into an audit career, it is a team-focused environment. Learning to work with different types of people and personalities really sets you up to be successful.”
Though she was an accounting major at Kelley, Dani was involved in supply chain projects throughout her degree. Mark Ippolito, Kelley senior lecturer in operations management, invited Dani to join a couple supply chain case competitions at Wayne State University. In 2023, she was part of the first all-women’s team from Kelley.
“Supply chain management doesn’t have a lot to do with accounting, but it’s problem-solving and thinking outside the box,” Dani said. “Big Four accounting firms are doing continuous improvement projects using Lean Six Sigma and supply chain concepts to pace their audits. Knowing Lean Six Sigma processes served me in a way I never would’ve expected, and Professor Ippolito was a really good resource.”
Going forward, Dani would like to continue in accounting, eventually earn a master’s degree and become an accounting professor. She wants to help reverse the understaffing of public accounting by inspiring students–as she was inspired–to understand the benefits of this profession. Part of that is alleviating intimidation.
“As a sophomore just starting in accounting, I was already intimidated by exams I would need to take two years down the road. It can be daunting,” she said. “Try to keep perspective and stay present. Accounting isn’t an easy major or profession, but you don’t have to be an expert in a day or even a year. It pays off, and graduating from Kelley still feels like a huge accomplishment.”
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