MAILED: July 13, 2001
EAU CLAIRE — A University of
Wisconsin-Eau Claire professor was named Educator of the Year by the American
Woman’s Society of Certified Public Accountants, a national organization
committed to the development and advancement of women CPAs in the accounting
profession.
Members in the Madison affiliate of AWSCPA nominated Dr.
Lucretia Mattson, associate professor of accounting and finance. In 2000,
Mattson received both the Excellence in Teaching Award and the Excellence in
Service Award from UW-Eau Claire. It was the first time in the history of the
school that an individual had been honored with both awards in one year.
“Dr. Mattson is active professionally and has a strong
public service commitment,” said Alexandra Miller, AWSCPA vice president of
public relations. “She is a credit to both the accounting profession and the
academic environment, and we were honored to be able to recognize her
achievements.”
The award was established to
recognize a woman faculty member of a two or four year college for excellence in
teaching in the accounting field.
“I am very honored and humbled that they recognize
I’m influencing the future of the profession,” Mattson said.
A member of AWSCPA for 15 years, Mattson has seen changes
in the growth of the organization and the accounting profession.
“When I first came into accounting in the mid-’70s
there were not a lot of women involved,” Mattson said. “In the first tax
class I taught, the students were all men.”
Mattson began teaching at UW-Eau Claire in 1975 and said
she did not find it difficult to be the first woman professor in accounting.
“Being female was never an issue,” Mattson said. “I was treated like
everyone else. It was male dominated in the past, but not intentionally; women
didn’t consider it an option.”
Mattson said she has seen an increase in the number of
women taking her accounting classes. “It’s at least 50-50 if not higher,”
Mattson said, referring to the ratio of women to men in her classes. “Women
today are more aware of finances.”
Along with teaching three CPA review courses, Mattson
works with tax clients and has been active in the Wisconsin Institute of
Certified Public Accountants. Mattson joined the WICPA in 1985 and served as
president in 1998-99, the second female in the 98-year history of the
organization and the third educator.
Mattson has been active in several community and service
organizations, such as Advocates for the Rights of Citizens with Cognitive
Disabilities, the March of Dimes and the Arthritis Foundation. She is currently
on the advisory board for the Northwest Regional Genetics Project.
“I have a firm belief, regardless of what profession or
community, you have an obligation to give back,” Mattson said.
At the university she serves on the Faculty Personnel
Committee and is an adviser for the Beta Upsilon Sigma Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance program and the Student Accounting Society.
Mattson also is a member of the Academic Misconduct
Hearing Committee, a group of faculty and students who hear students’ appeals
regarding their grades.
Within the group of faculty and students, three of each
are selected to hear individual cases. “The group picks people they think will
be fair, honest and objective,” Mattson said. “I’m pleased they consider
me in that pool.”
Mattson said she thinks she was nominated for the AWSCPA
award because of her involvement in her field. “I actually work with
clients,” Mattson said. “If you’re going to teach tax and financial
planning, you should practice what you preach.”
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RM/NW
[Administrative Offices]
[News Bureau]
Janice B. Wisner
UW-Eau Claire News Bureau
Schofield 201
(715) 836-4741
newsbur@uwec.edu
Updated: July 13, 2001
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