Accountancy students Layla Gardner and AJ Hainline were selected to receive the prestigious award from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Scholars Program for the 2025–2026 academic year. This annual program was established in 2011 to attract and encourage students who demonstrate an interest and aptitude in the auditing profession. Each student will receive $15,000 towards their educational expenses.
This is the seventh consecutive year that Miami students have been awarded the PCAOB scholarship. Scholars are selected based on a nomination process; they must demonstrate high ethical standards, be among the top 1/3rd of their class, and have a minimum GPA of 3.3. Learn more about our scholars below.
Layla Gardner
Layla is from Bellevue, OH. She decided to become an accounting major during her senior year of high school. “I knew I loved math, and I loved counting and balancing the drawer at the diner I worked at. I decided to talk to my aunt who is an accountant, and after that conversation, I was confident in my decision to go to college for accounting.” Her first accounting class at Miami cemented her passion for accounting.
Raised by a single mother and the first in her family to attend college, Layla spoke about the inspiration behind her PCAOB scholarship application. “My mom worked hard to give me the life I had, and I worked hard for her in high school for scholarships so she didn’t have to have the financial burdens that come with having a kid in college. If I didn’t have the scholarships I did, I wouldn’t be at Miami.”
Layla is also minoring in Entrepreneurship and is a member of Phi Chi Theta and Delight, a Christian women’s group. “My first year at Miami was amazing, I had the best roommates and friends. My education and professors were all great, I was able to make it to the finals my first semester for the Honors FYIC, which was my first accomplishment that made me realize I was in the right place.”
Speaking of the coming year, she said, “I am ready to go back to Miami in the fall. I’m ready to further my education and meet more driven classmates, […] put myself out there and meet more people and further my network. Most of all, I’m ready to be home, because that is what Miami University has become to me.”
AJ Hainline
AJ was born in Indianapolis and moved to Oxford when he was 7. “Miami just seemed like the right fit for me,” he said, adding that his brother graduated from Miami in 2024. While attending Talawanda High School, he was able to take a college class—an intro to accounting class taught by Beth Killy. AJ credits her guidance in his decision to become a business major and, specifically, an accounting major. “Her passion for the subject made me much more interested in the topic.”
AJ is pursuing a minor in sports management—he is currently an assistant high school football coach for Talawanda. “I have always loved sports, and coaching is a passion of mine.” This keeps him busy during football season, but he manages to find balance.
“My favorite part of campus life is the people here. Everyone is just so nice and wants the best for you. This makes it a great environment to succeed. One of the ways that I maintained a balance is that I always make sure to finish my schoolwork before getting involved with extracurricular activities. I really enjoyed my first year at Miami. I think one of my favorite moments would probably be the FYIC. I made a lot of great friendships that I think set my foundation.”