For the eighth consecutive year, Miami accountancy students were awarded the PCAOB scholarship—three of them this year! Congratulations to Nicole Bennett, Jared Jordan, and Julia Liebelt. This scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate an interest and aptitude in the auditing profession.
Each student will receive a $15,000 scholarship from the PCAOB for the 2026–2027 academic year. Scholars are selected via a nomination process and must meet a minimum GPA of 3.3 or be in the top 1/3 of their class.
Nicole Bennett: Driven by Precision on the Path to Forensic Accounting
Nicole grew up with seven siblings in rural Ohio, where their high school programming was heavily focused on the agricultural and trade careers. Her path to business school became clear as she participated in DECA, a student organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in business. There, she competed against others to deliver the best solution to a specific business problem.
After learning about how Miami University opens up vast opportunities for its students and graduates, she resolved to pursue an accountancy major at the university. She is currently in the 3+1 combined Bachelor’s/MAcc program and is part of the Honors program.
I chose accounting because I realized that I am not the most creative, but I love working behind the scenes with numbers. I really enjoy how in accounting every piece of information has a place.”
—Nicole Bennett
After focusing on academics for her first two years on campus, Nicole has learned to balance her time to include membership at the Ohio Student Association while working at Chipotle and maintaining an active lifestyle. “I have loved being part of a club full of like-minded people that want to make a difference on campus,” she said.
Nicole’s goal to make a difference extends to her career goals. “It is an honor to be a PCAOB scholarship recipient and I am beyond grateful to use the funds to further my education and hopefully fulfill my dream of becoming a forensic accountant.”
Jared Jordan: Accountancy in the DNA
Jared is from Lebanon, Ohio, and describes himself as a “high-functioning autistic individual.” Before entering Miami, Jared had already completed an associate’s degree in business management from Sinclair Community College. “Accountancy is in my DNA,” he said, adding that his grandfather, aunt, and cousin are all accountants.
In addition to Accountancy, Jared will be pursuing Financial Planning and Wealth Management as a minor.
I love Miami for the environment and the beautiful campus. All of my professors have been good to me and make me feel like I can be a success in my future endeavors. Miami has instilled a lot of confidence in my own abilities. Dedication and hard work has led to some early success, and I look forward to finishing my academic career at Miami on a high note.
—Jared Jordan
Julia Liebelt: Solving the Financial Puzzle
A native of Lake Bluff, Illinois, Julia is the youngest of three sisters and was inspired to attend Miami by her sister’s positive experience on campus. She decided to major in accounting after taking introductory accounting classes.
“I loved the problem-solving aspect of accounting. To me, accounting feels like a puzzle where every piece has a specific place. The challenge of analyzing financial data to build a clear, accurate picture of a business really made me decide to major in it,” said Julia.
Julia is an active participant of campus life, as a member of a sorority and a business fraternity. “Balancing everything with classes can be a lot, but it really just comes down to keeping your priorities straight. I remember going to a speaker event at Farmer once, and the presenter talked about doing regular ‘life evaluations’ to make sure your day-to-day choices actually align with what matters to you. That really stuck with me.”
Julia serves as treasurer of the Pre-Anesthesiologist Assistant Club and took a summer internship with Harborside Health.
“It is a great honor to be recognized as an accounting student, and [the scholarship] aligns perfectly with my future career goals. Being recognized by an organization that is so dedicated to helping students succeed in this field is incredibly motivating.”
—Julia Liebelt
Congratulations to Nicole, Jared, and Julia on this prestigious honor. We look forward to celebrating their continued achievements in the years ahead!