ACFE Foundation Scholarships Instill Confidence, Sense of Achievement

GUEST BLOGGER

Lupe DeLeon, ACFE Higher Education Coordinator

Of the many programs and committees the ACFE is proud to be a part of, one still stands out from the rest at this time of year. As we reflect on a year of achievement and growth for our organization and our members, we remain focused on the future CFEs who will one day lead the fight against fraud.

The Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship was established in 1992 by the ACFE Foundation and is named after Larry Jennings, CFE, and Tracy Ritchie, CFE. Jennings and Ritchie were fatally wounded when terrorists fired upon their vehicle in Karachi, Pakistan on Nov. 14, 1997. The scholarship was then named in their honor and supports the education of collegiate accounting, business, finance and criminal justice students worldwide.

Anthony Sperduti is a past scholarship winner and a student at Post University in Connecticut. He attributes much more to the award than just a monetary incentive. According to Sperduti, he found confidence, a whole new world of networking and the motivation to pursue a career in fraud prevention and forensic accounting.

“The award provided much more to me than financial gain,” Sperduti said. “The feeling of achieving something of this nature will give anyone the confidence boost they are looking for. Not only that, it is a great resume builder, and gives the applicant the opportunity to network with CFEs. The application requires a letter of recommendation from a CFE, so it really makes the applicant build the confidence and go out there and network. It helps the applicant become known in the field of fraud prevention.”

This year the ACFE Foundation Board of Directors voted to increase the amount of scholarship awards available. There will be one $10,000 scholarship, two $5,000 scholarships, four $2,500 scholarships and 23 $1,000 scholarships. Other changes include a scholarship questionnaire in place of the essay, as well as the acceptance of “unofficial” transcripts.

The 2011-2012 scholarship schedule is as follows:

• Application Deadline – Postmarked by January 21, 2011
• 2011-2012 Scholarship Recipients Announced – April 15, 2011
• Scholarships Distributed – April 30, 2011

To find out more information about the ACFE Foundation or the Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship, go here.

An Open House That Feels like Home

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Bruce Dorris, J.D., CFE, CPA, CVA, ACFE Program Director

Imagine the huge spread of a tailgate party outside your favorite college stadium; mine just happens to be Louisiana State University. Where I grew up, tailgating was as consistent as church on Sundays. The beginnings of a football season meant people were outside enjoying good weather and good company.

This also happens to be the typical feel of an ACFE Open House. Held at the ACFE headquarters in Austin, Texas, we are proud to host exclusive opportunities to see the ACFE up close and personal after attending our courses and seminars. In fact, the upcoming Principals of Fraud Examination course I will teach in December will be no different. Walking up the lawn to the historic, three-story Gregor House is only a preview to the unique experience that waits. Food and drink are plentiful. You are greeted by a friendly handshake and a warm smile from staff and attendees alike.

The porch, a portion of the original house built in 1925, and its swing stand out. This is where the ACFE got its start more than 20 years ago. It’s a great place to hang out and network, and even where part of this blog post was written. The ACFE Fraud Museum, a collection of fraud relics, continues to attract people (and not just for the Open House). Attendees can take their time walking through the museum and getting a sense of the extensive history of fraud cases and characters from all over the world. From Charles Ponzi to Bernie Madoff, the significant and interesting fraud memorabilia from the past 100 years is conveniently displayed on the walls of the ACFE offices. It is something you have to experience in person. I still pick up something new regardless of how many times I go through it.

The Fraud Museum and the Gregor House are a huge part of the ACFE, and the Open House events really showcase these integral parts. I have made a lot of friends at these events over the last few years, and hope to make many more. I hope to see you there.

View photos from the ACFE Open House, Nov. 2, here.