Bass named Outstanding Graduate Student

SAN MARCOS, Texas — Liesel Bass was named Outstanding Graduate Student in the McCoy College of Business during The Graduate College's awards ceremony on Friday, April 22.

The Graduate College sponsors and presents discipline-specific awards, recognizing that graduate education differs across disciplines, and that graduate students engage in different activities in colleges.

Bass completed the MAcy program in December 2021. She served in a program faculty role for financial accounting and reporting n summer and fall 2021, and she has been an audit and assurance intern at RSM US, LLP, in Austin since January 2022.

During her time at Texas State, Bass was a member of the honor societies Beta Gamma Sigma and Beta Alpha Psi. Her awards and honors included the Beta Alpha Psi Executive Graduate Honor, a Graduate College Scholarship, the 50 for 50 McCoy College Scholarship, the HC Vivian Memorial Scholarship, the TXCPA Austin Scholarship, the Dr. Roslyn “Rosie” Morris Scholarship, the Austin Conant & Kristin Conant Family Scholarship, and the Accounting Club Scholarship.

She was president of the Texas State Accounting Club, and she has been a member of the Institute of Managerial Accountants and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Faculty nominations for recognizing Bass called her "a tremendous asset to the Accounting program" and "an amazing student and representative of McCoy [College]." One wrote that she "encourages and inspires all students and instructors to be their best." Another wrote: "To be frank, I've never had a better student."

Bass also earned a B.B.A. in accounting from the McCoy College in May 2020.

Her outstanding work has extended far beyond the classroom. She is also extremely generous with her time and energy in giving to her family and her community.

"Being an active community member is important to me," Bass wrote in her application. "As a parent, it is my duty to teach my children what stewardship and diligent responsibility looks like, and to have an attitude of service, grace, and gratitude. One mantra our family follows is: see a need, fill a need. When and as we are able, we donate to the little pantries and little libraries around our community. For several years we have volunteered at and supported our local schools, wrapped presents for the Blue Santa program, and worked at food banks in both Austin and New Braunfels."

Bass wrote that she is studying to finish her certified public accounting (CPA) exams, having passed two already, awaiting the score of the third, and working on the last. She will be working full time as an audit and assurance associate beginning in Fall 2022 for RSM US.

"Even though my education is complete for now, I firmly believe in perpetual learning," Bass wrote. "I wish to keep current with changes and challenges in the profession, and hopefully build my credibility in the profession by earning a certified fraud examiner accreditation. One motivation for earning a Master of Accountancy is that I hope to return to higher education to support and mentor future professionals." ✯

For more information, email Twister Marquiss, manager of marketing and communications for the McCoy College of Business, at twister@txstate.edu.

About the McCoy College of Business

Established in 1970, Texas State’s business school officially became the McCoy College of Business in 2004 following a donation of $20 million by Emmett and Miriam McCoy. The college, which offers classes in both San Marcos and Round Rock, is accredited by AACSB in both business and accounting, and has graduated nearly 42,000 alumni.